Til Death Do Us Part
by HexenGrimm4ever
Summary: This story takes place five months after my other fanfiction, "The Proposal". As Nick and Adalind prepare to walk down the aisle, an unexpected event could shatter their happiness.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE 

"I can't lose you" he whispered as he kissed her hand.

Tears were streaming down his face. His heart was breaking into a million pieces; the pain in his chest was so excruciating that he had trouble breathing.

"Please come back to me. I need you…" he said, his voice breaking. 

He had never in his existence felt so helpless. He would have given his life if it meant saving hers. But the doctor had said there was nothing to be done. Whatever was responsible for her condition had caused her heart to stop beating, and the only reason she was still alive was the screeching life-support machine that now filled her lungs with oxygen. He had been told she wasn't gone yet, but that her body would inevitably fail her. 

"I'm so terribly sorry" the doctor had said. "We don't know how to save her life, or that of the babies she is carrying." 

He had almost collapsed upon hearing those words, and he would have, had it not been for his best friend grabbing hold of him so he wouldn't fall.

He could not accept this horrible fate, they had fought so hard to be together, overcome so many obstacles, including everyone who had been against their union. This could not possibly be how their story ended. He had to find a way to save her.

He gathered whatever strength he had left in him and let go of her hand to stroke her belly, trying to let his unborn children know that he would do everything in his power to save them and their mother. He then slowly bent down to kiss her forehead and stayed there for a moment, praying this would not be the last kiss he would ever give her. He finally managed to rise back up, and gazed at her one last time before leaving the room.

As soon as the door shut close behind him, he slid down against it, and started sobbing uncontrollably.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

***TWO DAYS EARLIER***

Nick slid the door of his loft open and was greeted by the most beautiful sound he had ever heard; his son's laughter. Diana was tickling her little brother's stomach as he giggled and kicked his feet. Nick couldn't help but smile as he watched the heartwarming scene of his children playing together.

Adalind had not heard or seen him come in; she was washing the dishes so the sound of the faucet had covered the noise of the sliding door. Nick walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. To his surprise she didn't startle. She must have sensed his presence, he thought. That's how connected they were.

"Hey beautiful" he said as she turned around and placed her soapy hands around his neck.

"Hi handsome" she replied, a smile on her face.

He smiled back at her and kissed her softly.

"Look Kelly, mommy and daddy are kissing" they heard Diana say behind them.

They both smiled and gazed at each other. Adalind noticed Nick's eyes had lit up at the sound of Diana calling him 'daddy'. She could tell it meant the world to him that her daughter had accepted him as part of their family. They would soon become one officially, so it only made sense for Diana to start referring to Nick as her father, even if she wasn't biologically his.

"I think someone approves" Adalind said.

"Yeah… she's too sweet" Nick responded with a huge smile on his face.

"Well you know where she gets that from" she said, kissing him again.

Nick had never felt happier; this little family they had built was the greatest gift of all. He had two beautiful children and he would soon marry the woman he loved more than life itself. Everything was finally perfect.

"Ok, bedtime!" Nick said as he let go of Adalind to join the kids. "Come on sweetie, I'll read you a story" he told Diana as he took her hand and picked Kelly up using his free arm.

Adalind lovingly watched them go into the little bedroom they had set up for them a couple of months before. The loft wasn't very spacious, but with Monroe's help, Nick had built an extra wall to create a smaller bedroom next to his and Adalind's. They had purchased a bedroom set for Diana and decorated the room to make it look like a mini solar system. Nick had even covered the ceiling with glow-in-the-dark star-shaped stickers. The look on Diana's face when she'd seen her room for the first time had been priceless... as well as the huge hug she'd given Nick when he had told her she would be sharing her bedroom with her little brother.

Nick was such an amazing father, Adalind thought. And a passionate lover. She felt so lucky to have him in her life. She still couldn't believe that he, a Grimm, loved her, a Hexenbiest. She suddenly felt a lump rising in her throat and her eyes stinging as they started to fill with tears. She quickly ran into the bathroom, locked the door behind her, and turned around. She caught her reflection in the mirror, and stared at it for a while. She hated who she was deep down, below the surface of her skin. She despised the Hexenbiest that had done so many terrible things that had ultimately destroyed lives… Juliette's specifically. But Nick had convinced her that none of that mattered anymore, that he loved her despite everything that had happened, and that they were destined to be together. And Adalind believed him. But deep down, she still hated the fact that she was a Hexenbiest again. She was scared that eventually the evil would once again rise and bury all the goodness that Nick saw in her. She needed to make sure that never happened; her life with Nick and their children meant too much for her to risk losing it all.

A knock on the door pulled her away from her dark thoughts.

"Adalind, are you ok?" she heard Nick ask on the other side.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just washing up. I'll be out in a second" she responded, trying her best to hide her shaky voice.

* * *

Nick was already in bed, checking his text messages. When he heard Adalind's footsteps, he lifted his eyes from his cellphone. She was gorgeous, as usual, wearing nothing but one of his old shirts. She slipped under the covers, joining him in bed. He immediately turned off his phone and put it on the nightstand. As he turned around to look at Adalind, he noticed she wasn't as cheerful as she had been earlier. She was avoiding his gaze, but he could see there was a shadow hiding her beautiful blue eyes. She lay down on him and rested her head on his naked chest. Nick wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her forehead.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a soft voice, knowing full well that something was bothering her.

"Nothing, why?" she responded without looking at him.

"Adalind, I can tell something's on your mind… are you still thinking about who to put next to Bud on the seating chart?" he asked, hoping to get a laugh out of her.

After a moment, she finally looked up at him. When he saw the tears in her eyes, his chest started to hurt. He couldn't bear to see her in pain.

"Adalind, what is it?" he asked, pulling her up. "Talk to me."

"I… I'm scared" she whispered in a shaky voice.

"Scared of what?"

"Of losing it all."

"What do you mean?"

"Nick… I don't want to be a Hexenbiest anymore. I'm afraid to become who I used to be… before you fell in love with me."

"Adalind, I told you… you're not the same person you once were. Becoming a mother has changed you. I know you could never be that vengeful person again. I trust you… I love you."

"I know you do… that's why I'm so terrified. You don't know what it's like, Nick. To have this power deep down inside of you that can make someone literally become your personal puppet… what if that urge to control someone… to control you…"

"Adalind, stop" he interrupted. "You love me, you would never hurt me" Nick said as he stroked her hair.

"Nick…" she said as she threw herself in his arms, holding onto him tight.

"Promise me you'll stop worrying about this. I love you, all of you… including the Hexenbiest in you."

Adalind let go of him slightly to look at him. Her eyes were still filled with tears.

"Adalind…" he said as he gently wiped her tears away with his thumb.

But she didn't let him finish his thoughts. She kissed him passionately and pulled him down, her body silently begging him to make love to her. She surrendered herself to him and let him take her away from the fears that were chasing her. At least for one night.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

When Nick got to the precinct the next morning, he couldn't bring himself to do any work. He just sat at his desk, staring at his computer screen, completely oblivious to everyone around him. He was so buried in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Hank come in.

"Good morning" Hank said.

When Nick didn't respond or even glance up, Hank noticed his partner had a worrisome look on his face.

"Hey Nick, is everything ok?" he asked, touching Nick's shoulder.

Startled, Nick finally looked up and saw Hank looking at him intently.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there" Nick said.

"Yeah, I saw that… did something happen?"

"No… it's just… I'm worried about Adalind."

"Why? Is she nervous about the wedding?"

"No, nothing like that… last night she told me she's scared of reverting back to her old Hexenbiest ways."

"Are you worried too? I mean, that she'll go back to being who she was before…"

"Of course not" Nick interrupted. "I know her… she's changed. Being a mother has made her a wonderful, loving person. The darkness that used to consume her heart is completely gone."

"But she's still a Hexenbiest."

Nick's eyes flashed with anger. Hank had uttered those last words as though they were meant to serve as a warning, and it made his insides boil.

"Why do you say that like it's a bad thing? Like I should be careful?" Nick spat, causing Hank to take a step back.

"Look, Nick… I didn't mean it that way. But you and I have seen a lot of things these past few years. There's a lot of evil out there…"

"Are you serious? She's not evil!" Nick yelled.

"Calm down Nick" Hank said in a low tone of voice. "I never implied that she was."

Nick noticed a few of the officers in the precinct were staring at him. He forced himself to calm his nerves.

"I'm sorry Hank" he said after a brief moment.

"It's alright" his partner responded. "I didn't mean to insult you. Or Adalind. You know I support your relationship. I think you guys are great together."

"We are… I'm just… I'm scared she's going to do something foolish."

"What do you mean?"

"Like, try to find a spell to annihilate her Hexenbiest powers for good."

"Like a suppressant?"

"More like a permanent fix."

"And… you wouldn't want that? I mean, what if she succeeded? Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Nick thought about it for a few seconds. But he already knew the answer to Hank's question.

"No… it wouldn't. Hank, I love Adalind for who she is, I don't want her to change. I know she thinks I would be relieved if she was normal… but I love her because she isn't. I love her because she's unique."

"Yeah, I get that" Hank replied. "Have you told her that?"

"Not in those exact words… I just hope I convinced her to let it go."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

As soon as Nick had left for work, Adalind had called Rosalee to ask her to meet her for some tea. She had also called Trubel so she could watch the children during her absence. Trubel loved taking care of her little cousins and they absolutely adored her. It was no surprise that Diana ran into Trubel's arms as soon as she came through the door.

"Trubel! I'm so happy you're here!" squealed Diana with excitement.

"Aww, I missed you too pumpkin" Trubel said, hugging her tight. "Hey little monkey" she said as she turned to Kelly, who was waving his arms to let his mommy know he wanted to get out of his high chair.

Adalind took her son and handed him to Trubel.

"All right, mommy's gonna go now" she said, kissing her two children on the forehead.

"Have fun mommy!" said Diana.

"Thank you honey" responded Adalind.

Trubel sensed Adalind wasn't her usual self. But she figured she was probably concerned with last-minute wedding plans.

"If there's anything, call me" Adalind told Trubel.

"We'll be fine, won't we?" she said, addressing Diana as she stroked her hair.

"Of course, we're going to have lots of fun. Bye mommy!"

"All right then, I'll see you later" Adalind said as she headed for the door.

* * *

When Adalind got to the teashop, Rosalee was already sitting down at a table, pouring some tea in the two cups in front of her.

"Hey, I hope you haven't been waiting too long" Adalind said as she joined her.

"Hi! No worries, I ordered your favorite; jasmine green tea with a hint of honey."

"Perfect, thank you" Adalind said as Rosalee handed her a cup.

"So, how are you?" asked Rosalee.

"I'm good, you? How are you feeling?"

"Bloated" Rosalee responded.

Adalind smiled at her friend. Her face exuded such a wonderful glow.

"Can't wait for the babies to come out, huh?" Adalind said with a chuckle.

"Oh God, yes" Rosalee said, laughing. "But don't tell Monroe, he's still a bit nervous about having three screaming babies in the house."

"I'm sure he'll adjust quickly" Adalind said.

"Enough about me, how are you doing? Anything your maid of honor can help you with?"

"No, thank you… most of the last-minute preparations have been taken care of. I couldn't have pulled it off without you though. You're such an amazing friend."

"It's been my pleasure helping you. I just can't wait for this wedding to finally happen!"

"Yeah, me too. Only a few more weeks now!"

Despite the smile on Adalind's face, Rosalee could sense something was bothering her.

"So why do I get the feeling you're worried about something?" asked Rosalee.

"What do you mean?"

"Adalind, you know you can tell me anything. What is it?"

"You're right… I need your help with something. But it's not wedding-related. It's me."

"Ok, what about you?"

"I don't want to be a Hexenbiest anymore."

Rosalee almost choked on her tea at the sound of Adalind's words. She didn't know what to say. She sat there, speechless.

"Are you sure?" Rosalee asked after a moment.

"Yes, I want to be normal. For good."

"Have you talked to Nick about this? I mean, this is pretty important…"

"Not exactly… he knows I'm scared to revert back to my old ways, but I didn't tell him I intend to make sure that doesn't happen. I need you to help me find a spell to permanently suppress my Hexenbiest powers. Will you help me?"

"Adalind, I really think you should discuss this with Nick first…"

"No, he would never agree to it" Adalind interrupted.

"Well, maybe it's for your own good… you know how powerful these permanent spells can be. What if something goes wrong? You and Nick are getting married in a few weeks."

"And this is my wedding gift to him; a normal wife."

"I'm not sure about this Adalind…"

"Please Rosalee, I am begging you. You are the only one who can help me with this."

"Why don't you want to be a Hexenbiest anymore? You haven't hurt anyone since you got your powers back… I mean except for Tony, but that scumbag totally deserved it."

"I'm terrified that one day my powers will get the best of me again… and that I'll hurt Nick. He's my life, I can't bear to lose him…"

Adalind was crying now. Rosalee took her hand, trying to comfort her.

"Sweetie, Nick loves you so much… he would never hurt you."

"I'm not worried about him hurting me… I'm scared that I'll be the one harming him. A Hexenbiest's primal instinct is to control, to destroy people's lives…"

"Yes, but you're not just any Hexenbiest… you're you. Adalind, believe me… you are nothing like the beast you make yourself out to be. You're good."

"I need to make sure I stay that way… for Nick's safety… and our children's."

Adalind was looking down at her cup, her eyes filled with tears. Rosalee wasn't too keen on the idea of helping her at first, but as soon as Adalind mentioned her children, her own motherly instincts kicked in.

"All right, I'll help you" Rosalee said, squeezing her best friend's hand.

"Are you sure?" Adalind asked, looking up.

"Yes."

"You have no idea how much I appreciate this, I can't thank you enough."

"You can thank me if it works… we'll need to be extremely careful with this. Nick would kill me if anything happened to you."

"About Nick… you can't tell him about this. And you can't tell Monroe either."

"You know I hate keeping secrets, they always seem to backfire somehow."

"You won't have to keep it secret for long, just until we actually perform the spell."

"Fine. So when do you want to do this?"

"As soon as possible."


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Nick had to work late that night so when he finally managed to get home, the children were already in bed. He quietly went to check up on them. They were both peacefully asleep, like little angels. He bent down to kiss Diana's forehead and a faint smile appeared on her lips. Nick then turned to the other side, where the crib was, to look at Kelly. He could see both himself and Adalind in their son's face, this little human being who had in an instant changed everything. Nick could still remember feeling him kicking in Adalind's stomach for the first time when she had shown up at the precinct to let him know she was pregnant with his child. As much as he had been in shock upon hearing the news, feeling his son move in Adalind's womb had been a life-changing experience.

"Hey" he heard Adalind whisper behind him. "I didn't hear you come in."

Nick walked out of the room to join her. They walked into their bedroom and sat down on the bed. 

"I'm sorry, I had to work late. How was your day?"

"Great, I met with Rosalee."

"How is she doing?" Nick asked.

"Good, she can't wait for the triplets to be here… oh, she mentioned that Monroe will probably need some help setting up the cribs."

"I'll call him tomorrow to offer my help. Now come here" Nick said, pulling Adalind into his arms.

He kissed her gently and pressed his forehead against hers. Their conversation from the night before flashed back in his mind; he needed to let her know that he loved her for who she was, that he didn't want her to change. Her being a Hexenbiest didn't scare him.

"Adalind, about last night…" he said.

"Shhh…"Adalind whispered, putting her finger on his lips.

She kissed his neck, making him forget what he wanted to say. Her lips were moist, and they felt like fire on his skin. She pushed him down on the bed and climbed on top of him. Without taking her eyes off of him, she unbuttoned and removed her shirt, revealing her gorgeous naked body. Nick put his hands on her waist and pulled her down, kissing her passionately, desperately wanting her, all of her. She slid her hands under his t-shirt and pulled it over his head before throwing it onto the floor. She then unzipped his pants and swiftly took them off, along with his boxer shorts. She came back up and kissed him, savoring the inside of his mouth with her tongue.

Every one of Nick's muscles ached for her. Without breaking the kiss, he rolled her onto her back. He then slid inside of her, moving slowly, enjoying every second of it. Their bodies fit so perfectly together, as though they were made exclusively for each other.

"I love you" Nick whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her and sending shivers of pleasure throughout her entire body.

"I love you" breathed Adalind.

She wrapped her hands behind Nick's neck and pulled him closer, kissing him languidly. She tightened her legs around his, closing the gap between them. He was running his hands all over her body, kissing every inch of her flesh, leading Adalind to pure exaltation. He felt deliciously warm and she could feel the pleasure mounting as he moved back and forth inside of her. She started to moan, biting her lower lip to keep herself from screaming. Her body tensed up from the waves of ecstasy rocking her insides. Nick opened his eyes to look at her as they reached climax together. He then kissed her softly on the lips and stayed there until he felt her muscles relax under him. He slid out of her, causing her body to shake again in pleasure, and then rolled onto his back to lie next to her. After a moment, Adalind climbed back on top of him.

"Well, aren't you insatiable" he chuckled.

"No" she laughed. "I just wanted to feel your arms around me again."

"Oh" he said, kissing her and stroking her hair.

She lied down in his arms, and cuddled up against him. She needed to feel him close, one last time, before she could say goodbye to that part of her who had allowed herself to fall in love with him despite of who he was; a Grimm. She closed her eyes and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

When Nick opened his eyes the next morning, Adalind was gazing up at him.

"Good morning" Adalind whispered.

"Hey" he said in a sleepy voice.

She lifted her head to kiss him. His whole body reacted to the touch of her soft lips brushing his. He tightened his arms around her.

"Nick" she whispered between her lips. "I need to tell you something…"

"What?..." he murmured, still kissing her.

"I…" she said, breaking the kiss. "I want you to know… you are the love of my life" she said softly. "And I can't imagine my life without you."

Nick smiled at her and gently caressed her hair.

"Ditto."

He kissed her again, tenderly. After a moment, she broke the kiss and looked at him. Her eyes were sparkly, but they looked different somehow; like something had changed… or was about to.

Nick suddenly felt something strange stir in the pit of his stomach. But before he could say anything, Adalind let go of him, slipped his shirt on, and left the room.

* * *

Nick was playing with Kelly when he heard the door slide open.

"Hey Nick" Trubel said as she entered the loft.

"Trubel, thanks for coming" he replied.

"Hi little monkey!" she said, taking Kelly from Nick's arms. "We're gonna have so much fun today! Where's your big sister?"

"She's in her room getting some toys for Kelly" Nick responded.

"Where's Adalind?"

"She already left. She's meeting Rosalee. She said there was one last thing she had to take care of for the wedding."

"Oh" Trubel said, a wary expression on her face.

"What?" Nick asked.

"No, it's nothing... it's just... she seemed a little off yesterday when I came over to watch the kids."

"Why? What did she say?"

"She didn't say anything... but, I felt like there was something in the back of her mind."

Nick let out a sigh. He knew exactly what it was.

"What?" Trubel asked.

"She told me she's scared..."

"Oh no, wedding jitters?"

"No, she's scared of being who she used to be before we had Kelly... she doesn't want to be a Hexenbiest anymore."

"I see... I thought she tried that already. Aren't suppressants only supposed to work for a little while?"

"She wants it to be permanent this time."

"You're not gonna let her do that, are you?" Trubel asked, a concerned look on her face. "I mean... do you want her to?"

"Of course not... I can't ask her to destroy a part of her. I love her for who she is, not for who she could be."

"Right. Don't tell her I said this, but... you guys are like a fairy tale come true. You know, like the Beauty and the Beast; only in your case it's the Grimm and the Hexenbiest."

Nick smiled at her.

"Yeah, she totally is a beauty" he said, implying that he was the beast in this story.

"Oh totally, you are a beast. I mean, Wesen don't stand a chance against you" she said, laughing.

"Trubel!" Diana shouted as she came running in the room. "It's about time you got here, we have so much to do!"

"Hey pumpkin" Trubel said as Diana hugged her legs.

"Ok, I'm gonna go" Nick said, taking his jacket.

"Bye daddy" Diana said, to Trubel's surprise.

"Bye sweetie" Nick said as he kissed her forehead. "Be good, little man" he told Kelly, rubbing his hair. "Daddy will see you both later."

"Have fun" Trubel said, smiling.

Nick looked at his children one last time before sliding the door shut and heading to Monroe's house.

* * *

"Hey Nick" Monroe said as he opened the door to let him inside. "Thank you so much for coming."

"No problem. You and Rosalee helped us when Kelly was born, it's the least I can do to repay you" Nick said as he walked into the living room.

There were boxes everywhere, pieces of wood scattered across the floor. He turned around to look at Monroe, apprehension spread all over his face.

"Really, thanks for coming, I really appreciate your help" Monroe said.

"Ok... let's get to work then..." Nick said, picking up what he assumed was a crib rail.

They worked for a while, and managed to assemble the first crib despite the poorly written instructions.

"Why can't these things come pre-assembled!" said Monroe in exasperation. "These instructions are impossible to follow!"

"They're not that bad..." Nick said as Monroe gave him a look that reminded him of his Blutbad facial expressions. "Ok you're right, they're horrible."

"I'm gonna get us a beer" Monroe said, throwing the instruction sheet on the side table.

"Yeah, maybe it'll help us understand these instructions better" Nick chuckled.

Monroe came back with two bottles of beer and handed one to Nick.

"So, how are the wedding plans coming along?" he asked.

"Good, I haven't been too involved. Adalind took care of most of the preparations, with Rosalee's help of course."

"So you're ready for the big day?" Monroe asked with a huge grin.

"Yeah... I can't wait" Nick said, smiling. "I've been waiting my whole life for this. I can't wait to call Adalind my wife."

"I've never seen you happier, Nick. Really."

"I know... our lives are finally perfect. Except for..." Nick whispered, thinking of Adalind's inner struggle regarding her Hexenbiest powers.

"Except for what?" Monroe asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Adalind's worried about being a Hexenbiest again. She's scared she'll one day get the urge to control people again... mainly me."

"That's absurd! She loves you now, she would never hurt you."

"That's exactly what I told her... but I think she's still struggling with the possibility, as slim as it may be, that she'll turn against me. But I just can't see that happening. She's changed... we both have."

Nick put his bottle on the table and sat down on the couch. Monroe could sense that his friend was upset, that he too was scared. But he had a feeling Nick didn't exactly share Adalind's fear; his concern stemmed from something else altogether.

"What is it Nick?" he asked.

"This morning Adalind told me she couldn't imagine her life without me."

"Yeah well, that's not really a secret."

"What if she thinks destroying her powers for good is the only way to ensure that we get our happily-ever-after ending?" Nick said, his eyes tearing up.

"You're thinking she's gonna try to find some sort of spell to become what... a Kherseite?" Monroe asked, raising his eyebrows.

"She would give up her inner nature for me. She proved that already when she took the suppressant... I know she originally did it so we could help Juliette, but she was happier to be normal for once. I mean, you should have seen how scared she was to tell me her Hexenbiest powers had come back. But..." Nick said, his voice fading down to a whisper.

"But what?"

"I fell in love with Adalind the second I laid eyes on her."

"You did?" Monroe asked in disbelief. "I thought you hated her when you met."

"I thought so too... I mean, my Grimm instincts pushed me to believe that I did. But I know now I was just scared to face the truth. I had never felt anything like the emotions that ran through me when I saw her for the first time. It's still hard to explain, but... everything changed in that instant. What I thought was the truth suddenly wasn't. She turned my whole existence upside down. And all of that was because of who she was. I can't ask her to become someone else. I won't."

"You gotta tell her, Nick" Monroe said, patting his shoulder.

"I will... I just hope it's not too late" Nick whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

When Adalind got to the spice shop, Rosalee had already taken out and measured all the ingredients they needed for the spell.

"Did you bring..." Rosalee started asking.

"Yes, got it right here" answered Adalind before Rosalee could finish her question.

She took a little paper bag out of her purse and set it on the table.

"Ok" said Rosalee. "I think we have everything then."

She hesitated for a moment, looking at Adalind.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked her.

"Yes, I have to do everything in my power to ensure Nick's safety. I can't risk hurting him one day, especially considering he swore never to hurt me."

"All right" Rosalee responded with a sacrificial tone in her voice.

One after the other, she started mixing the ingredients together in a bowl, each time looking at Adalind before adding a new one, just in case she suddenly changed her mind.

"Ok, so all we need now are the final two ingredients" Rosalee said.

Adalind looked at her, picked up the little paper bag and opened it. She slowly took out two tiny strands of hair; one blond, the other a darker chestnut.

"Here's Diana and Kelly's hair" she said, handing the strands to Rosalee.

Rosalee took a deep breath, and after one last look at Adalind, added them to the mixture. A white cloud quickly emanated from the bowl, which made Rosalee queasy.

"How long does it need to stew for?" asked Adalind.

"Not long, just a few minutes, until the potion turns red."

Rosalee started to feel a little hot. She assumed it was caused by the heat radiating from the potion.

"So, are you going to tell Nick about this as soon as you get home?" asked Rosalee, trying to shrug off her sudden discomfort.

"Yes, I will. Don't worry Rosalee, it'll be fine. The spell is full-proof. You said it yourself; Diana and Kelly's DNA will ensure that my Hexenbiest powers remain buried forever. The book said a mother's unconditional love will shatter any destructive compulsions that may arise in a Hexenbiest."

"Right" Rosalee said, feeling increasingly worse.

The potion was starting to change color now, going from a dark brown to a bright red.

"It's ready" said Rosalee.

She took a ladle and poured a spoonful of the potion into a small glass vial. She sensed a wave of nausea rising so she quickly handed it off to Adalind, closing her eyes as if it would help her urge to vomit go away.

Adalind took a long deep breath, looked intensely at the glass vial, and then drank the potion in one quick swig.

"Are you feeling anything?" asked Rosalee, a worried look on her face, as beads of sweat started to form on her forehead.

"Nothing… is it supposed to take a while for the potion to work?" Adalind asked.

"Um, I'm not sure…" Rosalee replied slowly, clutching her swollen belly.

"Maybe we missed something…" Adalind said, looking at the spell book.

"I don't feel so well…"

"What?" Adalind said, suddenly worried. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I… I think I… I may faint…"

"Oh my God" Adalind said as she rushed over to help Rosalee sit down on the cot. "You stay here, I'm gonna get you some water."

"Ok" said Rosalee, breathing heavily. "Maybe I should call Monroe, just in case…"

But before she could finish her sentence, Rosalee heard a loud noise. She turned around to see what had caused the commotion and she immediately froze in panic.

Adalind lay unconscious on the floor.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

At that exact same moment, Nick felt his breath being knocked out of him, causing him to almost pass out. He grabbed onto the crib in front of him so he wouldn't fall.

"Hey man, are you all right?" asked Monroe with a worried look on his face.

"Something's wrong…"

"You want me to call an ambulance? You look like hell…"

"No, it's not me… Adalind" Nick said, gasping for air. "It's Adalind…"

In that very instant, Monroe's cellphone started to ring. It was Rosalee.

"Honey, now's not a good time..." answered Monroe.

He stopped at the sound of her voice; she was hysterical. She was speaking so fast that her words were incomprehensible.

"Rosalee, slow down, I don't understand what you're saying…"

Nick still had trouble breathing. His heart froze when Monroe's expression went blank.

"What… what's happened to Adalind?…" he could barely say.

"We'll meet you there" said Monroe.

He hung up and stared at his friend, not knowing how to break the news to him.

"What's wrong? Please tell me she's ok" Nick said, a huge lump in his throat threatening to choke the life out of him.

"Adalind fainted… and she hasn't regained consciousness."

Nick's knees flinched, forcing him to hold onto the crib tighter.

"Rosalee said the ambulance is already on the way there. Come on, I'll drive us to the hospital."

Monroe helped Nick out of the house and into the car. He got into the driver's seat, started the engine and quickly drove off. Nick was still breathing heavily next to him, staring out the window. Monroe didn't know what to say to make him feel better, mainly because there was nothing to say. His best friend was going through hell… and it could potentially get much worse.

"I can't lose her" Nick finally said after a while. "I can't lose her" he repeated.

The emptiness Nick had felt when Adalind had died in the other place started creeping back into his heart. The pain in his chest was now spreading throughout his entire body.

The ride to the hospital felt like an eternity. Nick needed to be by Adalind's side. He had to be there when she woke up… if she woke up…

Nick suddenly felt ill.

"Stop the car..." he said.

"What? We're not there yet…"

"Stop the car!" Nick screamed.

Monroe had barely pulled over that Nick had already opened the door and stumbled out of the car. Monroe heard him throw up.

"Oh, man… are you ok?"

Nick didn't respond, he just turned around and looked at his friend, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I can't lose her" he said again.

Monroe took Nick by the shoulders and helped him back to the car. Nick sat down on the passenger seat and put his hands over his face.

"Look, I know you feel like the world is collapsing around you right now" said Monroe. "But we still don't know the extent of her condition. Or what happened to her."

"I know what happened" Nick whispered, dropping his arms.

"What do you mean, how could you possibly know? Rosalee didn't mention anything else other than Adalind losing consciousness…"

"They performed a spell" Nick interrupted. "A spell to kill the Hexenbiest in her…"

"Oh crap" said Monroe, now realizing what had occurred. "Oh no… do you think it worked?"

"I don't know… I just hope…" Nick said, his voice fading down to a mere whisper.

He couldn't bring himself to say the words. He didn't have to; Monroe knew full well what was going through Nick's mind.

Monroe closed the passenger door and hopped back into the driver's seat. He turned the engine on and hit the road again. Neither of them uttered a word until they reached the hospital.

They ran inside and found Rosalee waiting in the emergency room, crying. As soon as she saw them, she sprung up from her chair.

"I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry" she kept repeating as Monroe took her in his arms to comfort her.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Nick was still feeling dizzy. He hated hospitals, they always meant nothing but pain and suffering... except for when Kelly was born. His mind flashed back to that beautiful moment when Adalind had handed him their son. He had felt so proud to be this perfect little being's father. The love he had immediately felt for him was indescribable; to this day, he still didn't know how to put it into words. But now, this place only symbolized heartache and despair.

"Nick" he heard Rosalee say. "I'm so sorry... this is all my fault. Adalind... she wanted to be normal... for you... for Diana and Kelly..." she said between sobs.

"Rosalee, you don't have to say anything. I know what happened" Nick told her, gently touching her arm.

"I should have never helped her, this never should have happened... I should have told you..." she continued.

"Don't... don't blame yourself for this. Adalind is... she's determined. When she sets her mind on something, she doesn't give up until she gets it."

"I know... but I should have insisted she told you about the spell... I can't believe this is happening."

"Has the doctor come by yet?" asked Monroe.

"Not yet... I feel like it's been hours already..." Rosalee replied.

"Nick, why don't you sit down, I'll get you some coffee or something" said Monroe.

"No, I don't think I'd be able to keep it down" responded Nick, still feeling nauseous.

"Oh, right..."

They heard footsteps and all turned around to see a tall blond man dressed in scrubs, walking towards them.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Giuntoli. I've been attending to Miss Schade. Are you her husband?" he asked, looking at Nick.

Nick froze; for some reason he couldn't get the words out. Yes, he was soon going to be Adalind's husband... if she survived.

"Soon-to-be" said Monroe when Nick didn't respond. "What can you tell us doctor?"

"She suffered what I can only assume to be a stroke" he said, looking at Nick. "We determined that her heart stopped beating unexpectedly, but we haven't been able to identify the cause. Thankfully your friend reacted promptly and was able to perform CPR to reanimate her" he said, gesturing towards Rosalee. "When the paramedics arrived at the scene, your wife was breathing, but unfortunately she was still unconscious. We have her hooked up to a ventilator to keep her breathing for the time being. But... if we can't find the cause of her ailment, her condition will continue to deteriorate and her organs will inevitably fail."

Tears formed in Nick's eyes as he heard the doctor describe Adalind's condition. His chest was throbbing from the pain, and he felt light-headed.

Rosalee let go of Monroe and walked up to Nick, touching his arm. She couldn't bear to see him in such pain. Despite Nick telling her she wasn't to blame for what had happened, she still felt responsible.

The doctor looked at Nick, a sympathetic look on his face.

"I'm so terribly sorry. We don't know how to save her life, or that of the babies she is carrying."

Nick heard the words, but they didn't make any sense.

"I'm sorry, what?ˮ he whispered, his voice barely audible.

The doctor was silent for a moment, realizing that this was the first time Nick had heard the news about Adalind's pregnancy.

"I'm assuming you didn't know then... your wife is approximately eight weeks pregnant. With twins."

"Oh God" Nick said, his words coming out as a violent sob.

His legs gave out but Monroe was there to keep him from falling. Nick held onto his friend, but the world around him was spinning. He felt utterly helpless.

"I'm so sorry" repeated the doctor. "I'll let you know if her condition changes" he said as he started to walk away.

"No, wait!" Nick yelled, getting his voice back. "Please, I need to see her."

"I'm sorry, she's in critical condition. We don't allow visitors in the ICU..."

"Oh come on, man!" interrupted Monroe. "Can't you see he's losing his mind here? The love of his life is all alone in a room, fighting to stay alive... please, have some compassion. Let him be with her" he said, his voice clearly charged with emotion.

The doctor hesitated. Rosalee looked at him, her eyes imploring him to make an exception for Nick.

"All right" he finally said. "But you can only stay for a few minutes."

"Thank you" said Monroe.

"Follow me" the doctor said to Nick.

"We'll be here waiting" Rosalee told Nick, squeezing his arm.

Nick followed the doctor into a long, dark corridor. They walked in silence for what felt like the longest time, until they finally reached a windowless door. The doctor stopped and looked at Nick.

"She's here. Again, I'm so sorry. We're doing everything we can, but..." he said, hesitating. "But, we just can't find an explanation for her condition."

Nick didn't respond. The doctor understood this was an incredibly difficult time for him; to not only have his wife so suddenly fall ill, but to also find out she was pregnant with twins. And that none of them might survive.

"I'll leave you alone with her" he finally said as he walked away.

Nick stood there for a moment, staring at the door. He needed to gather all his strength to go ahead and enter the room. He didn't know what to expect... or how he'd react to seeing Adalind laying there. Moreover, he didn't know if he could bear whatever was waiting for him behind that door. He took a deep breath, turned the knob, and pushed the door open.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

When Nick entered the room and caught a glimpse of Adalind, his heart shattered. She looked so pale; the usual rosy glow of her cheeks had faded away. The nasal cannula connecting her to the ventilator seemed to suck the life out of her instead of breathing oxygen into her lungs.

He slowly walked over to the bed and sat down on the chair next to her. Trembling, he took her hand in his and brought it close to his chest, where his heart was beating at a frenetic pace. He gently placed his other hand on her hair and stroked it, hoping the sweet smell that emanated from her soft curls was a sign that there was still some life left in her.

"Adalind" he whispered, praying she could somehow hear him, or at the very least feel his presence.

Nick gazed at her, thinking about how only a few hours ago, their lives had been so full of hope and promises. They were just a few weeks away from vowing to love each other for the rest of their lives, from uniting their souls into an unbreakable bond. But now, they were on the verge of losing it all. Tears were streaming down his face in an infinite pool of despair. His heart was breaking into a million pieces. The pain in his chest was so agonizing that each breath he took felt like a knife stabbing his soul.

"I can't lose you" he murmured as he kissed her hand. "Please come back to me. I need you…" he said, his voice breaking.

He had never in his existence felt so helpless; the love of his life was dying. He would have given his life if it meant saving hers. This could not possibly be how their story ended. They had battled so hard to be together, faced so many obstacles. History had been against them from the very beginning; never had a Grimm and a Hexenbiest fallen in love. The road that had led to their union had been nothing close to a straight line, but it had always been there, hidden for them to find. They had each uncovered their own path, as sinuous and rocky as it had been, and had ultimately reached the same crossroads, finding each other at last. Nick could not accept this was the end of the road.

"Please, hold on. Kelly and Diana need you..." he said, unable to hold back the tears as he mentioned their children's names.

His gaze moved to Adalind's stomach, beneath which two new little lives flickered... these two souls Adalind didn't even know about. Their own flesh and blood.

"Our babies need you" Nick whispered.

The pain in his chest was throbbing now, and the tears were flowing. He didn't want to leave her side, but Nick knew that time was running out. He gathered whatever strength he had left in him and let go of her hand to stroke her belly, trying to let his unborn children know that he would do everything in his power to save them and their mother. He then slowly bent down to kiss her forehead and stayed there for a moment, praying this would not be the last kiss he would ever give her. He finally managed to rise back up, and gazed at her one last time before leaving the room.

As soon as the door shut close behind him, Nick slid down against it and started sobbing uncontrollably. Every time he closed his eyes, he kept seeing Adalind's lifeless body lying on the cold forest floor, where she had been taken from him by that devil Zerstörer. Watching Adalind take her last breath had felt like his heart had been ripped out from his chest, like the light had been snuffed out of his life. But now, the pain felt countless times worse. Because this time, evil wasn't to blame… he was. He had failed to let Adalind know he didn't need her to be normal. All he needed was for her to be who she had always been; herself. She had made him who he was, and now she was his reason to be.

He would have stayed there against that cold metal door all night, crying his sorrows away. But he suddenly thought about Kelly. He had sworn to himself that he would never let his son grow up without his mother. He would never be able to forgive himself if he didn't do everything in his power to keep that promise.

Nick slowly got up and wiped his tears with the palm of his hands. He then turned around, pressed his hand on the door and whispered the words "Hold on".


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When Nick finally made his way back to the emergency room where Monroe and Rosalee were waiting for him, he felt defeated; and he looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot, and the light blue color of his irises had been replaced by complete darkness.

As soon as she saw him, Rosalee got up from her chair and ran to him to give him a hug. They remained in a silent embrace for a long moment. She could feel his body was still shaking from all the crying. She slowly let go of him, sliding her hands down his arms.

"I promise you Nick, I will do everything in my power to help you find a way to save her" she said.

"Thank you Rosalee" he said, his voice a mere whisper.

Monroe joined them and placed his hand on Nick's shoulder.

"We're here for you Nick. We won't let her slip away" he said.

"She seemed so lifeless..." Nick whispered. "I begged her to hold on, but..."

He was unable to get the rest of the words out. Tears started rolling down his cheeks again.

"Come on, let's go" said Monroe.

"I can't, I need to stay here just in case..." Nick started.

"The doctor came by while you were with Adalind" interrupted Rosalee. "He mentioned he would let us know as soon as anything changes. He suggested we should all go home in the meantime."

"You can stay with us" Monroe said.

"No, I should go home to be with Kelly and Diana..."

"I don't think they should see you like this, Nick" said Rosalee. "I already called Trubel to let her know what happened. She said she'll take care of the kids while you're gone."

"Ok" Nick said. "Thank you."

Monroe led Nick towards the exit and pushed the door open. Before he walked out, Nick looked back one last time, desperately hoping that Adalind would somehow come running down the hall and into his arms.

* * *

 _"I love you Nick" whispered Adalind as she lifted her head to kiss him._

 _"I love you too" Nick breathed between his lips._

 _She was wearing a flowy white dress, her soft curls cascading down her shoulders. Her face exuded a gorgeous glow, and her blue eyes, as beautiful as ever, were sparkling._

 _"Nick... I'm pregnant."_

 _Nick was speechless for a moment, not sure he had heard right._

 _"What?... oh my God!" he said, lifting her up in his arms, laughing._

 _He put her back down and leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. When he opened his eyes, Adalind was gone._

Nick woke up with a startling jolt, his heart racing. At first, he had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten there. But when he heard the ticking of numerous clocks, he realized he was in Monroe's living room.

He closed his eyes and replayed the dream he'd just had in his mind. The pain and sorrow immediately came rushing back. The agony was so intense he had trouble breathing.

"Adalind" he murmured.

"Nick, are you ok?" asked Rosalee as she came into the living room, holding a cup of coffee. "I heard you stirring..."

"Yeah... I just had a dream" Nick responded, looking down at the floor.

Rosalee didn't need to ask; judging by the look of sorrow on Nick's face, she could sense he'd been dreaming about Adalind.

"Here" she said, handing him the cup of coffee.

"Thanks."

"I've stayed up all night looking at the books, and..."

"Rosalee, you're about to give birth, you shouldn't be overexerting yourself" Nick interrupted.

Rosalee felt touched that despite the hell he was going through, Nick still worried about her comfort and well-being.

"I couldn't sleep" she replied. "I figured I'd make myself useful."

"Did you find anything?" Nick asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Yes, I did."

Nick shot up from the couch and set his cup on the side table.

"What is it? Is it a complicated spell?"

"No, it's actually quite simple; there's only one ingredient."

"Is it hard to find?"

"No, we won't need to go far… it's right here. It's your blood."

"Did you say blood?" asked Monroe as he entered the living room.

"Yes, that's all we need to save Adalind. Nick's blood" Rosalee explained.

"But how? How is my blood going to help her?" Nick asked, puzzled. "Is it because I'm a Grimm?"

"No, it has nothing to do with your Grimm powers. The spell we performed on Adalind was supposed to annihilate her Hexenbiest powers by obliterating any possible compulsions to destroy. The key ingredient being a mother's unconditional love, we used strands of Kelly's and Diana's hair. Now, I have no way of knowing if the spell worked or not… we won't know for sure until Adalind wakes up."

"Ok… so how will my blood get her out of her coma?"

"The doctor said her heart stopped beating. According to ancient texts I found in the books which pertained to similar cases, the only way to revive her is to use what's called true love's blood."

Nick suddenly sensed a glimmer of hope rising from the darkness that had engulfed him when he found out Adalind had collapsed.

"So my blood can save her simply because she's the love of my life" he said.

"Exactly" Rosalee confirmed.

"And how would we administer it to her?"

"We would inject it in her veins, like any other blood transfusion; except we would only need a syringeful."

"So let's do it!" Nick said, rolling up his sleeve.

But he noticed Rosalee was hesitant. She was looking at Monroe, tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked.

"It's not that simple…" Rosalee said with a shaky voice.

"What do you mean? You just said that all she needs is my blood!" Nick screamed as he started to get impatient.

"Yes, but… Nick, the babies she is carrying could potentially have Hexenbiest blood…"

Nick's heart stopped. He didn't need Rosalee to explain what this possibility meant. He knew full well what it implied. If they injected his blood, Grimm blood, into Adalind's veins and that their unborn children were half-Hexenbiest, it could lead to their death. Adalind had lost her Hexenbiest powers years ago when Nick had infused her with his blood. She had survived, but she was also much stronger than their unborn babies were.

Nick sat back down on the couch and put his head in his hands. His own blood could save the life of the woman he loved, but it could also end his children's.

"Nick, I know this must be a difficult decision to make… I can't even begin to imagine having to choose between the love of your life and your children…" Rosalee said. "But time is running out."

Nick lifted his head up to look at his friends. He needed to make sense of all of this before making his final decision.

"We don't know what Kelly is yet" Nick said. "It's too early to tell. There's a chance he's neither Grimm nor Hexenbiest. I mean, look at Diana; she should be half-Hexenbiest and half-Zauberbiest, but she seems to be something else altogether. Have you come across anything in the books regarding Grimms and Hexenbiests having children together?" he asked Rosalee.

"No... I think you and Adalind are probably the first."

"Wait a second... doesn't Adalind already have Grimm blood running through her veins?" asked Monroe. "From when Nick took away her powers?"

"Yes, that's right..." said Rosalee.

"So if she already has Grimm blood in her, then the fact that her babies are already feeding off that blood would make them immune to Nick's blood, correct?"

"Possibly, but we can't know for sure."

"And what about Adalind? Will another shot of Nick's blood take away her powers again? I mean, if the spell you performed didn't already work?" Monroe asked.

"No, it shouldn't. Her powers were taken from her the first time because Nick's blood was new to her, sort of like a foreign organism attacking hers. But like you mentioned, Nick's blood is already running through her veins, like it's a part of her. Adding more won't make a difference when it comes to her Hexenbiest powers. But it should revive her according to the texts I read. Not because it's Grimm blood, but because it's true love's blood."

Nick had carefully listened to his friends' discussion, weighing every word. As much as he feared that his blood could potentially harm his children, he knew there was really only one choice; he had to save Adalind. He couldn't possibly live without her; he would go mad.

"Let's do it… I can't lose Adalind."


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

When they arrived at the hospital, there still had been no change in Adalind's condition; she was still unconscious, but at least her health had not deteriorated. The doctor had again hesitated at first, but he had finally agreed to let Nick see her.

"Now remember" whispered Rosalee as the doctor walked away. "All you have to do is inject the entire syringe of blood in Adalind's arm."

"How long until it takes effect?" asked Nick.

"I'm not sure... only time will tell."

"Good luck man" said Monroe, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks."

Nick made his way down the long hall leading to the intensive care unit. His heart was beating faster as he got closer to the room. He prayed that his blood would succeed in waking Adalind up from her coma. His sanity depended on it.

When he reached her room, he slowly opened the door. The awful noise of the ventilator startled him for a second. He closed the door behind him and walked over to the bed. He just stood there for a moment, staring down at his reason to live. Without her, he was nothing but an empty shell. Tears began to form in his eyes as he took her hand and gently kissed her forehead.

"Adalind... I hope you can forgive me."

Nick let go of her hand and placed it on her stomach, hoping that the touch of their mother's hand would somehow shield his unborn children from what he was about to do. He slowly took out the syringe hidden in his inside coat pocket and removed the plastic needle cover. He then took a deep breath and carefully inserted the needle in Adalind's arm, injecting his blood inside of her. When the barrel was empty, he delicately slid the needle out of her skin. He waited for a moment, looking at her for any sign of movement. But nothing happened; she was still in a deep sleep.

Without taking his eyes off of her, Nick reached for the chair behind him and dragged it forward so he could sit on it. As he gazed at Adalind, he remembered a conversation he'd had with her on the night she had confessed to him that her Hexenbiest powers had come back.

 _"_ _You knew, didn't you?... I should have told you sooner."_

 _"_ _Why are you telling me now?"_

 _"_ _I wanted to. I tried, I really did. I just got too scared."_

 _"_ _I told you, I would never hurt you."_

 _"_ _People change their mind, Nick."_

 _"_ _I lost my mom when I was twelve. Then I got her back, and I lost her again. I would never do that to Kelly."_

 _"_ _And I would never hurt you... I'm just worried the world's never gonna leave us alone."_

Nick couldn't help but feel now like he had broken the promise he had made to her; he had hurt her by potentially harming their unborn children. He had been selfish, thinking only of his loss if anything happened to Adalind. He had decided to sacrifice the life of his children so he could save hers. To Nick, this seemed like the only logical choice. But Adalind would most probably disagree... and possibly hate him for it. He had no idea how he would break the news to her when... if she woke up.

Nick pushed the chair closer until there was no gap left between him and the bed. He then laid his head on top of her chest, listening until he heard her heartbeat. It was slow, but steady. He closed his eyes, letting the sound of her heart guide his breathing. Tears began to roll down his face as he started to talk to her.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but there's something you need to know... I didn't tell you before because the thought of it always brought back too much pain for me to bear. And I never wanted you to see me in such agony. You were right... something did happen in the other place, something I've kept hidden from you. You died... and I wasn't able to save you. Then a choice was given to me to bring you back, a choice that would have meant the end of the world. But I ultimately decided not to save you. Not because I didn't love you or want you back, but because it would have meant sacrificing our very existence as we knew it. Yes, you would have been there with me to face God knows what hell. But I didn't want to put you through it. I love you too much to inflict any kind of pain on you, as light or insignificant as it may be. In the end, I was able to get back to you, here in this world. And when I realized that you were alive, I swore to myself that I would never face that choice again. But today, I had to... I had to choose between bringing you back to life or letting you go so I could shield you from a world of pain. Adalind... this time I chose you. And you may hate me for it, but I just can't lose you... please forgive me."

Nick was now sobbing, the sorrow in his heart too strong to contain. He stayed there, crying, his head against Adalind's chest, until he fell asleep. He dreamed about the first time he had seen her, the electricity he had felt run through his entire body when she had laid her eyes on him. And then, he felt something... a hand caressing his hair so tenderly, sending shivers down his spine. He thought he was dreaming, but when he opened his eyes, he could still feel the soft fingers in his hair. He slowly lifted his head, praying that what he was feeling was real.

Adalind was awake, looking at him through her beautiful blue eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Nick?" Adalind whispered.

She could see he had been crying; his eyes were bloodshot.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Adalind..." he said in a soft murmur, still in disbelief that she was finally awake.

His first instinct was to throw himself in her arms and never let her go. But she looked incredibly fragile, and he was afraid to hurt her. So instead, he slowly leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. He remained there, his forehead pressed against hers, feeling her warm skin. It felt like a ray of sunshine, and he took in as much of that light as he could, the darkness he had been trapped in for the last forty-eight hours beginning to dissipate.

"Nick, what happened?" Adalind asked.

He looked at her, feeling so relieved that she had finally regained consciousness, but also scared of what would inevitably come next.

"You don't remember?" he managed to ask.

She remained silent for a while, her mind clearly working to remember what had occurred.

"I can't..."

"It's ok" he said, tenderly caressing her cheek. "You don't need to remember right now. All that matters is that you're finally awake."

"I was unconscious?" she asked, fear in her eyes.

"Yes. You've been here for two days now."

"Oh my God... are the kids ok?" she suddenly said in panic.

"They're both fine, Trubel's with them" he reassured her.

She looked at him, still trying to figure out what had happened. His gorgeous blue eyes that were usually full of light were now dark, so she immediately knew something was not right.

"Nick, please... tell me what's wrong."

He hesitated, not wanting to upset her in any way. But he knew full well she wouldn't stop hounding him until he told her everything.

"You went to see Rosalee" he began. "You asked her to help you find a spell to... to bury your Hexenbiest powers forever."

"Oh God" she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Nick, did it work?"

"I don't know... Rosalee said you collapsed. That's why you're here."

Nick took Adalind's hand, stroking it gently with his thumb.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I... I don't know..." she replied.

She now remembered the reason that had pushed her to perform the spell: Nick. She needed to protect him from herself.

Nick saw that Adalind was struggling with her thoughts, and he knew exactly why.

"Adalind, whether or not the spell worked doesn't matter to me. I don't love you in spite of you being a Hexenbiest."

"Are you absolutely sure? What if…"

"I'm sure" Nick interrupted. "I can't ask you to become someone else because I fell in love with you for exactly who you are."

He took Adalind's face in both his hands, and looked deep into her eyes.

"I, Nick Burkhart, Grimm, fell in love with you Adalind Schade, Hexenbiest. I promise to love you now, forever and always."

Adalind had tears in her eyes, but she was smiling.

"I love you Nick Burkhardt."

Nick pulled her face closer and kissed her, holding her close to him for as long as he could. But she eventually pulled back.

"I still need to know if the spell worked" she said.

She looked at him and took a deep breath. She gathered all the strength she had, closed her eyes and tried to woge. Her eyes still closed, she felt her skin starting to change, and she knew in that instant that the spell had failed; she was still a Hexenbiest. She retracted to her human form and opened her eyes. She noticed Nick was staring at her, a look of shock spread across his face. Her heart sank.

"Adalind..." he whispered.

"I'm sorry" she said with a quivering voice.

"No, Adalind, you don't understand... you're different."

"What? What do you mean? I'm something else now?" she asked, not knowing whether to be scared or relieved.

"No, you're still a Hexenbiest, but... you're beautiful."

Adalind was confused; how was that possible? Hexenbiests were ugly creatures; no one in their right mind could ever find beauty in them.

"What do you mean?"

Nick got up, searching for something with a reflecting surface. He found a stainless steel medical tray and grabbed it. He sat back down next to Adalind and handed it to her.

"Here, hold this up" he said. "Now go ahead, woge."

She looked at him, hesitating.

"It's ok Adalind, I promise" he said, stroking her hair.

She took a deep breath and once again woged. What she saw appear in the makeshift mirror seemed unreal; the decaying flesh had been replaced with gorgeous glowing white skin. And staring back at Adalind were her own blue eyes.

"How is this even possible?" she said in disbelief.

"I'm not sure..."

She woged back to her regular self and put the tray down on her lap.

"Wait a second, if I look so different, how are you certain I'm still a Hexenbiest?" she asked.

"Because, I still felt it."

"Felt what?"

Nick took Adalind's hand again.

"It started when you regained your powers when Diana was born. I would randomly feel this twinge of pain inside of me, not knowing what its source was. It kept happening, again and again. I finally realized what it was when I felt the same pain as you woged in front of me in Renard's apartment, when you came back to Portland with Diana. I believe it's a reminder that our souls are forever connected."

Adalind didn't know how to feel. She had so desperately wanted to forever extinguish her Hexenbiest powers. But something else had happened instead. Something she couldn't explain… yet.

"You said I lost consciousness after the spell?"

"Yes, you collapsed shortly after you drank the potion. The doctor said your heart stopped beating."

Adalind froze.

"My heart stopped beating…" she repeated. "So… I'm assuming me being awake now has nothing to do with a simple IV…"

"No… Rosalee found a spell that helped bring you back to me."

"What was it?"

"True love's blood."

Adalind looked at Nick and her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Your blood…" she said.

"Yeah."

"That explains it… Nick, your blood is the reason why I'm different."

"How do you know?"

"Because true love's blood serves two purposes; it revives one person's soulmate, but it also turns darkness into light, evil to good."

Adalind smiled at Nick, warming his heart. But he couldn't bring himself to smile back at her knowing that his blood had potentially caused something else.

"Nick, are you ok?" Adalind asked when she noticed the sadness lingering in his eyes.

Nick looked down at her hand, which was resting on her belly. The thought of bringing her any grief broke his heart, but he had to tell her what he had done.

"There's something you don't know…" he said as tears began to form in his eyes. "Adalind… you're pregnant."


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Adalind looked at Nick, not sure she had heard right. She couldn't be pregnant; she would have felt it. And she never would have gone through with the spell… what had she done?

"Pregnant?" she asked, her heart beating at an alarming rate.

"Yes. There are two babies growing inside of you" Nick said, barely containing his tears.

Adalind felt the world collapse around her. She was pregnant. With twins. And fresh Grimm blood was running through her veins.

"Oh my God" she said, clearly agitated. "What have I done… Nick, what have I done?!"

"You haven't done anything; I'm the one to blame. Adalind, I'm so sorry" Nick said, taking her in his arms as she started to cry.

"No... no..." she kept repeating between sobs.

Nick held her tight, crying along with her. He could feel her pain as though it was his own. He desperately wanted to tell her everything would be all right, but he couldn't. And it drove a knife through his heart.

"I'm sorry" he told her again.

"Your blood… Nick, your blood…" Adalind said in a whisper.

"I had no choice Adalind… I couldn't just watch you die again."

Adalind let go of Nick and looked up at him, searching his eyes for an answer to the question she was about to ask.

"What do you mean again?"

Nick had to come clean; he had to let her know about what had transpired in the other place. He had vowed never to tell her, but she deserved to know why he had made the choice to save her instead of doing everything in his power to keep their unborn children safe. He took Adalind's hand and looked deep into her eyes.

"Do you remember that night I came back from the other place? You sensed there was something I was keeping from you, but I told you everything was fine."

"Yes, I remember. You told me there was nothing to worry about. You said we would finally be able to move on with our lives."

"I did… but I lied to you" Nick said, painfully looking at Adalind and expecting her to lash out at him. "I kept the truth from you because I wanted to shield you from the unbearable pain it had caused me. The truth is… you died in the other place."

"What? How is that possible?"

"Zerstörer killed you. And I fought so hard to keep you from dying, but I wasn't able to save you" Nick whispered as his voice broke.

"Nick…" Adalind said as she tightened her hands around his arms. "I don't know what to say… you must have gone through hell…"

"I did" he said as he looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I couldn't breathe… it felt like I was dying too. I wanted to rip my heart out of my chest and give it to you so you could live again. And I was given the choice to do just that, to bring you back to life… but it came with a terrible price. I was willing to give everything I had left, and I would have. But then I realized that it would ultimately lead to nothing but more pain. I was broken and so desperately wanted you back, but saving you would have meant putting an end to the world as we knew it; it would have brought hell on earth. And I couldn't possibly put you or Kelly and Diana through it. So as much as it killed me, I ultimately decided to let you go."

Adalind was crying now. She couldn't bear to see Nick in such pain; she couldn't begin to imagine the hell he must have gone through in the other place, how alone he must have felt in that moment where he thought he had lost everything.

"So when I finally was able to make my way back to this world" Nick continued "and realized that I had a second chance at a life with you and our children, I swore to myself that I would never again have to make a choice to sacrifice our love and happiness. But I had to break that promise today. I'm sorry… I just couldn't lose you again. I love you Adalind, more than life itself. Our hearts beat as one. If you hurt, I hurt. If you bleed, I bleed…. and if you die, I die."

Adalind threw herself in his arms, her body shaking from the sobs. Nick closed his eyes and just held her, letting the tears flow.

"I hope you can forgive me" he said after a moment, his voice barely audible.

"Nick" she whispered in his ear. "Don't do this… don't blame yourself. I would have made the same decision. I love you. More than you could ever know."

"Our children…" he said.

"Maybe there's still hope… we don't know yet if your blood has affected them. Maybe they're as strong as their daddy."

Nick released her slightly so he could look at her. This woman was simply amazing; she had almost died and had fought the battle of her life to get back to him and their children. And even now, as she faced more darkness, not knowing the fate of the babies she carried, her faith remained unbroken. She was a fighter.

"Actually, I hope they're as resilient as their mother" Nick told her before he kissed her.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

When Nick appeared at the end of the hallway, Monroe and Rosalee got up from their chairs and waited impatiently for their friend to join them. Nick wasn't in tears, so they took it as a good sign.

"Is Adalind awake?" asked Rosalee.

"Yeah, the doctor's with her right now" Nick said with a faint smile. "He's checking her vitals to make sure she's ok."

"Oh, thank God!" Rosalee said, hugging Nick.

"That's wonderful news, man!" Monroe said behind them.

Rosalee let go of Nick as Monroe wrapped his arm around her.

"How is she doing?" she asked.

"She seems fine, but only time will tell..." Nick said as he stared at the floor.

"Did it work? I mean... is she... normal?" asked Rosalee, curious but also clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

"No, she's still a Hexenbiest" Nick responded, looking up. "But she's different now."

"What do you mean by different?" asked Monroe, raising his eyebrows.

"She doesn't look like she used to when she woges; she looks like an angel now" Nick said, smiling as he remembered her beautiful transformation.

"What? How is that possible?" Rosalee asked.

"Adalind said that true love's blood can not only bring the one you love back to life, but it can also turn darkness into light, and evil to good" Nick explained.

"Of course!" Rosalee exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't think of that..."

"So now, she's what... a Hexenschönheit?" Monroe asked.

"What?" Nick said with a puzzled look on his face.

"Sorry, I keep forgetting you don't speak German. Shönheit is German for beauty."

"Oh... I guess. To me she's simply Adalind" Nick said.

They all stood silent for a moment, neither of them wanting to be the first to broach the other subject on everyone's mind: the babies. Rosalee was the first one to break the silence.

"Does Adalind know about her pregnancy?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah, I told her" Nick said, his eyes getting dark again.

He tried to swallow his tears, but they still managed to reach the surface of his eyes. Nick and Adalind still didn't know how his blood had affected their unborn children, but they would soon find out. In the meantime, the wait was killing him from the inside.

"We don't know yet if..." Nick started saying before his voice choked with emotion.

Rosalee hugged him, trying her best to comfort him. She could sense he was worried, and that the uncertainty was taking its toll on him.

"We're going to have the doctor do an ultrasound just as soon as he's done examining Adalind" Nick said breaking the embrace. "We'll know more then."

As though he had heard being summoned, the doctor appeared down the hall.

"Doctor, is Adalind ok?" Nick asked.

"Yes, your wife is doing incredibly well considering she was unconscious for two days. I am having trouble explaining the sudden change in her health, but I will take it" he said with a smile. "Her vitals are all good and we should be able to release her as soon as we get a few test results back. In the meantime, I had her moved to a regular room so you'll be able to stay with her overnight."

"Thank you doctor" Nick said. "What about the babies?"

"Yes, Adalind mentioned she would like us to perform an ultrasound to make sure the fetuses are in good health. I have asked one of our OBGYNs to check up on her as soon possible. You may go see your wife now. She's in room 204."

"Great, thank you again" Nick said as the doctor walked away.

"That's great news" Rosalee said. "At least you know Adalind is fine."

"Yeah... listen guys, why don't you head on home? I'm gonna go be with Adalind."

"Of course, you need to be together right now" Rosalee responded.

"I just wanted to thank you both for everything. Your support means the world to me, as well as to Adalind" Nick said.

"You know we'll always be here for you, Nick" Rosalee replied with a smile, tears forming in her eyes. "You and Adalind are like family."

"That's right" Monroe said, hugging Nick. "You're my best friend, always will be. Now go, Adalind is waiting for you" he said as he let go of him.

Nick looked at his friends one last time and then headed to room 204.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

When Nick opened the door to Adalind's room, he noticed she had fallen asleep. He quietly closed the door behind him and carefully sat down next to her. She looked as beautiful as ever; it was impossible to tell she had been in a coma for the past forty-eight hours.

He took her hand in his and gently kissed it. He was unable to take his eyes off of her; he had come so close to losing her all over again, he needed to take in as much of her as he could. A faint smile suddenly formed on her pink lips and he wondered if she was dreaming.

"Nick" she whispered.

He wasn't sure if she had sensed his presence and had woken up or if she was dreaming about him, so he kept quiet. But after a moment, she opened her eyes.

"Hey beautiful" he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good... I just had a dream about you" she said, smiling.

"I heard you say my name. Anything you'd like to share?" he asked.

"You were proposing to me..."

"And did you say yes?"

"Of course I did. How could I ever say no? I mean look at you... who could possibly resist falling in love with you? You're perfect."

Nick smiled and leaned in to kiss her. He had never felt so close to her. She was his entire world, his reason to wake up in the morning. Without her, he was nothing.

"I love you" he whispered between his lips.

"I love you too" she said, looking deep into his eyes.

They remained silent for a moment, just gazing at each other. They suddenly heard a knock on the door.

"Hello, I hope I am not interrupting" said a middle-aged woman as she walked into the room, dragging an ultrasound machine with her. "I'm Doctor Turner. You requested an ultrasound?"

"Yes" Nick and Adalind both said in unison.

"Very well. Have you had one before today?"

"No, we just found out I'm pregnant" Adalind responded. "All we know is that we're having twins."

"Yes, Doctor Giuntoli briefed me about your condition. I'm happy you're awake and well."

"We all are" Nick responded as he kissed Adalind's hand.

"Before I begin the examination, do you have any questions?" asked the doctor.

Nick and Adalind looked at each other. They knew they couldn't exactly tell her about the true love's blood spell or about their babies possibly being half-Hexenbiest. She would think they were both mad.

"No" Nick responded. "We just want to make sure our babies are growing fine."

"All right then, let's begin. Can I please ask you to lift your gown so I can apply some gel on your stomach?"

"Of course" said Adalind.

Nick still hadn't let go of her hand and he squeezed it tighter as Adalind looked at him.

The doctor applied the gel on Adalind's belly and turned on the machine. She slowly ran the Doppler on Adalind's lower abdomen, trying to locate the two fetuses. After a brief moment, the sound of a tiny heartbeat became audible on the machine speaker.

Nick and Adalind looked at each other, both relieved to hear one of their children's heartbeat.

"There's the first one" the doctor said. "Well, this is a first..."

"What?" Adalind asked, nervous.

"The heartbeat seems stronger than it should be at this early stage of the pregnancy. In fact, it's a lot stronger. One of you must have incredible genes!" she said, laughing.

"Ha" Nick said with a large grin. "I like to think of myself as a superhero."

He looked at Adalind, smiling. He could see she was as reassured as he was. Their babies were going to be fine.

"What about the second baby?" Adalind asked.

"I'm still looking..." the doctor said as she kept on moving the Doppler around.

She did so for a long moment, but there was nothing but a dark mass on the screen.

"Hmmm, there doesn't seem to be two babies. Just one" she finally said.

"But Doctor Giuntoli told us she was pregnant with twins" Nick said, his voice shaky.

"It must have been a mistake, I only see one fetus."

Nick could see Adalind was upset; tears were streaming down her face. He caressed her hair and she turned her head towards him. He silently mouthed the words "We'll be ok". But deep down, his heart was shattering into a million pieces… he felt like a part of him had just died. Their baby, his own flesh and blood, was gone. And it was all because of him. He had chosen to save the love of his life because he couldn't possibly imagine being able to survive without her. She kept him alive.

As Nick looked at her now, a world of pain reflected in her eyes, he felt helpless… she was going through hell because he had put her there. And he hated himself for it. He had sworn never to hurt her, but he had in the worst possible way. He had sacrificed the safety of his unborn children so he wouldn't lose her, but he was now terrified that Adalind would blame him for the loss of their child.

Adalind looked up at him, her eyes inundated with tears. But Nick noticed there was no sign of anger in them; he only saw love. She squeezed his hand tighter and mouthed the words "I love you".

"Oh, wait a second" the doctor said suddenly. "I think I see something..."

Another little bean-shaped form appeared on the screen, along with another audible heartbeat.

"There you are, little one!" the doctor said, clearly relieved. "Another strong heartbeat!"

"Are you sure?" Adalind asked, her eyes full of tears.

"Yes, you have two healthy babies growing inside of you. Congratulations."

"Oh my God!" Adalind said, wrapping both her arms around Nick.

A huge weight had been lifted from Nick's heart and he could finally breathe again. Their children were safe in Adalind's womb; his blood hadn't harmed them.

"I'll leave you two to celebrate in private" the doctor said with a smile. "I'll have some prenatal vitamins prescribed for you. You take care now" she said as she left the room.

As soon as the door closed, Nick kissed Adalind. They held each other close for a while, not wanting to let go of each other. They had both gone through hell, but they had managed to escape unscathed. And the unbreakable bond they shared was now stronger than ever.

"Adalind, I'm so sorry I put you through this…" Nick whispered.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry" she interrupted. "I should have listened to you when you told me that me being a Hexenbiest didn't matter to you. This whole thing happened because I couldn't accept myself for who I am. But you did."

"I understand why you did it… I do. I know you were just trying to be the best person you could be for me and our children. But the truth is, you already are; you're perfect. And in just a few weeks, I will stand before our family and friends and let them know just how amazing you are."

"You know there's no going back now" she said, smiling.

"I don't want to go back… I only want to move forward. I love you Adalind."

"I love you too Nick."

Nick carefully climbed on the bed and lied down next to Adalind. She then laid her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Promise me something" she said in a soft voice.

"Anything" Nick replied.

"Promise me you'll love me just as much as you do today, for the rest of our lives."

"I'll do even better… I promise I'll love you each day more than I did the one before, but not half as much as I will the next."

Adalind looked up at him as he leaned down to kiss her ever so softly. She then rested her head back down on his chest and closed her eyes. Nick watched her as she fell asleep in his arms.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The next day, Adalind was released from the hospital. Since Nick had left his truck at Monroe's, they took a cab home. As they were going up to the loft, Adalind suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Are you feeling ok?" Nick asked, worried that something was wrong.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Adalind responded, taking Nick's hand. "I just... maybe we should keep the news about the babies to ourselves for now. I mean, aside from Monroe and Rosalee."

"Sure, if that's what you want" Nick said, squeezing her hand.

"I think it would be best... it's still early. I wouldn't want Diana to get too excited and then..." she said, her voice breaking.

"Adalind" Nick said, taking her in his arms. "Our babies are fine, the doctor said so. I know you're worried, but I truly believe everything will be ok."

"I hope you're right" she said, tears in her eyes. "These babies mean the world to me... I would never forgive myself if anything happened to them."

"Nothing will, I promise" Nick said as he rubbed her back. "Are you ready to go inside?"

"Yes" she said, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.

Nick slid the door open and Diana immediately came running into Adalind's arms.

"Mommy!" she squealed, hugging her tight. "I missed you so much! I'm so happy you're back!"

"Hi honey" Adalind replied, bending down to hug her daughter. "I missed you too."

"Hey Adalind" Trubel said as she walked towards her, holding Kelly in her arms. "I'm glad you're ok."

"Mama, mama!" called Kelly, pulling away from Trubel and stretching his little arms in Adalind's direction.

"Hi baby" Adalind said as Trubel handed him to her.

Nick had to hold back his tears as he witnessed the touching reunion. He wrapped his arms around Adalind and their son. Diana too joined in, hugging Nick's legs as he caressed her hair.

Adalind had not seen Rosalee and Monroe standing behind her. But as she turned around, she caught a glimpse of Rosalee, who had tears rolling down her cheeks. Adalind handed Kelly to Nick and ran into Rosalee's waiting arms. The two hugged each other for a moment, letting the tears do the talking.

"I'm so happy you're ok" Rosalee said, hugging her best friend a little tighter. "I never would've forgiven myself if..."

"Hey" Adalind interrupted, slightly letting go of Rosalee to look at her. "Don't."

Rosalee smiled at her and took both Adalind's hands in hers.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Good" Adalind said quietly. "We can talk about things later."

Rosalee understood by Adalind's cautious behavior that no one else knew about her pregnancy yet. So she simply nodded and squeezed her friend's hands.

"So I guess you've heard the spell didn't work" Adalind said.

"Yeah, Nick told us. We now know why" Rosalee responded.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we weren't aware you had two little Grimms growing inside of you" Rosalee whispered with a smile.

"You think the babies are Grimms?"

"They must be; I'm assuming that's why you lost consciousness and why your body went into shock."

Adalind looked over Rosalee's shoulder and saw her daughter propped up on Trubel's shoulders, laughing as she was being rocked from side to side. And then it hit her.

"Diana" she said in a murmur.

Rosalee nodded her head.

"Her Zauberbiest genes must have clashed with the babies' Grimm DNA. It's the only logical explanation I could come up as to why your body reacted so violently after you drank the potion. Had we used only Kelly's hair it would have probably worked. Not that it matters now… right?"

"No, of course not. I'm done with spells" Adalind said, a resolute look on her face.

Adalind suddenly remembered that before she collapsed in the spice shop, Rosalee had been close to fainting herself.

"Oh, how are you? Is everything ok with the babies? I remember you weren't feeling so well when..."

"I'm fine" Rosalee quickly said, looking at Monroe to make sure he wasn't listening.

She took Adalind off to the side, away from Monroe, who was now talking with Nick.

"Monroe doesn't know about me almost passing out" Rosalee whispered. "I didn't actually faint. Let's just say that when I realized you had collapsed, the adrenaline kicked in."

"About that... Nick told me you performed CPR on me... you saved my life" Adalind said with a quivering voice. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, you would have done the same for me" Rosalee said, tears stinging her eyes.

The two hugged each other again.

"Wow, your belly has really expanded" Adalind laughed as she pulled away from Rosalee.

"Yeah" Rosalee replied, rubbing her stomach. "I feel like a walking candy apple" she said, smiling.

"Did you say candy apple?" Trubel said as she approached them. "Where?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Nick and Monroe had gone up to the rooftop, where they knew they could talk in private.

"So how's Adalind doing?" Monroe asked.

"She's fine... she's still worried about the babies being ok" Nick replied as he bounced Kelly up and down in his arms.

"That's totally understandable considering the hell she just went through."

"I know... I just wish I could completely reassure her. I'm trying to put on a brave face for her so she doesn't worry, but the truth is... I'm a little worried myself."

"I thought you said the doctor said both babies were growing fine?"

"She did, but you and I both know that sometimes spells take a little longer to reach their full effect."

"Nick, if your babies are anything like you and Adalind, they'll battle through anything."

Nick smiled at his friend. He was right; he and Adalind had fought against all odds to get to where they were. No one and nothing had been able to break them apart. Kelly and their unborn children were a proof of that.

Nick gazed at Kelly, who was smiling at him and cooing happily as he touched his daddy's face.

"You know" Nick said as he smiled back at his son, "this little guy right here reminds me every day of the reason I was put on this earth for. There was a time when I questioned what this whole journey meant… until Adalind gave birth to Kelly. We created this perfect little human being. And now we've done it again. Adalind and I have come a long way since the first day we met; first we fought like enemies, then we connected on such a deep level as we tried our best to build the best home possible for our son... and we eventually realized that we had always meant to be together. It's been a bumpy ride, but I wouldn't change a single thing."

"You should put that in your wedding vows; that was beautiful, man."

Nick couldn't help but laugh.

"Did you write it all down? I don't think I'll be able to remember the exact words I just said" Nick chuckled.

"I'm sure it'll all come naturally when it's time" Monroe said, patting his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, you're probably right."


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

After everyone had left, Nick got the children ready for bed. Kelly fell asleep right away. Diana, however, kept stirring, so Nick went to check up on her.

"Diana... are you ok?" he asked quietly so Kelly wouldn't wake up.

"Mommy seems different" Diana whispered.

"How so?"

"I don't know... she just does. Is she going to be ok?"

Nick sat down on the bed as Diana sat up. Her wary expression made him feel bad about keeping her in the dark regarding Adalind's pregnancy. But it was still early and they had both agreed to wait a while longer before announcing to Diana that she was going to be a big sister again.

"Your mommy is fine" Nick said, stroking her hair. "She was sick for a few days, but she's all better now. You don't need to worry."

"Are you sure?" she asked, a worrisome look on her face.

"Without a doubt" he responded, smiling down at her.

Diana sighed and hugged him tight. Nick did the same.

"I love you daddy" she said.

"I love you too sweetie" he replied softly, his heart melting at the sound of her words.

He tucked her back into bed and kissed her forehead.

"Good night" he whispered.

"Good night daddy" she said, closing her eyes.

Nick looked at his little girl for a while longer before leaving the room. He then walked over to his bedroom and noticed Adalind was standing before the mirror, looking at her reflection and gently stroking her belly. When he realized her eyes were full of tears, he felt a twinge of pain run through him. He quietly walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you ok?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah... I just can't believe... we almost lost it all..." she said, still looking down at her stomach.

"We didn't" Nick responded, holding her tightly in his arms. "We're fine, all six of us."

Adalind slowly turned around and wound her arms behind Nick's neck. He looked deeply into her eyes, and bent down to kiss her. They remained locked in their embrace for a moment, each not willing to let the other one go.

"Nick, there's nothing more important to me than you and our children" Adalind said, looking up at him. "I will never take any of you for granted again."

"Adalind, I know you feel guilty for what almost happened, but please don't. If anything, I am to blame for not telling you I didn't want you to change. I should have told you sooner..." Nick said, stroking her hair.

"No... you are the most amazing man I have ever met... I still can't believe you actually love me for who I am..."

"Believe it" Nick said.

Adalind smiled at him and lifted her head to kiss him, softly at first, and then with increased intensity. She needed to feel his arms around her, to taste his lips. Without breaking the kiss, she pulled him towards the bed.

"Adalind..." he breathed between his lips. "Maybe we shouldn't..." he said, even though every muscle and bone in his body desperately craved her.

"Nick, these two little miracles survived two major spells; I think they'll be ok" Adalind whispered.

Nick gazed at her, a smile forming on his lips. This woman standing before him never ceased to amaze him; one of the countless reasons why he loved her so much.

He lifted her in his arms and gently laid her down on the bed. He then joined her, carefully climbing on top of her. They slowly started undressing each other, taking the time to enjoy each other's touch as though they were discovering one another for the very first time. Each caress and each kiss was delivered with utmost tenderness. As Nick explored every curve of Adalind's perfect body, he could feel her respond to his touch, his kisses tingling her flesh.

When she whispered his name, he came back up to look at her. Her beautiful blue eyes were staring back at him.

"I love you" she said, running her hands through his dark hair.

"I love you more" he told her, gazing deeply into her eyes.

Nick cupped Adalind's face with one hand and gently kissed her again. He had missed the smell of her skin, the touch of her soft hands. Holding her in his arms made him feel alive again.

"I've missed you" he whispered between his lips.

"Show me just how much" she said as she pulled him closer and kissed him.

Nick carefully slid inside of her, moving slowly. As he kissed her, running his lips down her neck and onto her breasts, he felt her breath tickling his hair. Her hands, sliding down the length of his body, left his skin burning. Her warm center, growing increasingly moist as he moved inside of her, aroused him to the point of pure bliss. He felt her nails dig into his back and her legs tighten around his waist.

"Nick..." Adalind moaned.

The sound of her voice and the sweet rhythm of her breathing were intoxicating. He could feel the heat rising as she ran her fingers underneath his buttocks. He started to move a little faster, each stride sending waves of pleasure throughout his entire body. Adalind's throaty moans, begging him for more, drove him crazy. He came back up, kissing her soft lips again, exploring the delicious inside of her mouth with his tongue. He wanted this moment to last forever, but the rush of sensual pleasure rocking his body was overpowering. He kept thrusting deeper and deeper until Adalind reached climax, and then he let himself succumb to his own orgasm. He then rolled onto his back, the sweat glistening off his toned body. Adalind laid her head on his chest and curled up against him, her naked flesh still sizzling. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.

"I'm never letting you go" he said, stroking her back.

"Good" she replied. "Because I don't intend to go anywhere."


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

***TWO WEEKS LATER***

When Nick woke up that morning, he could tell it was still early because the sun hadn't come up yet. He looked down and smiled at the sight of Adalind peacefully sleeping on his chest, her arms wrapped around him. She looked beautiful as usual, her soft pink lips curved up in a faint smile. He just stared at her for a moment, taking in all of her, this woman who had captured his heart and soul. He didn't want to wake her, but the urge to kiss her was just too strong. He gently kissed her forehead and caressed her shoulder as he did so. She stirred a little and finally opened her eyes.

"Hey" she said in a sleepy voice, raising her head to look at him.

"Hey" he said softly.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Don't know, but it's still early. Feel like watching the sunrise up on the rooftop?"

She smiled at him. She loved how spontaneous he was.

"Sure" she responded as she kissed him.

"Great, I'll meet you up there" Nick said as he quickly got up to put some clothes on.

Adalind got dressed and quietly went to check up on Diana and Kelly to make sure they were still sleeping. As she peered into their bedroom, she heard both of her children's slow and steady breathing; it was music to her ears. She remained in the doorway, just listening to the peaceful sound of their breathing. She instinctively touched her stomach, wondering if the two little miracles growing inside of her were asleep as well.

After putting on her shoes and a light vest, she made her way up the stairs leading to the rooftop and opened the door. What she saw next took her breath away; there were strings of lights hanging over her head, shining down on her like sparkling little stars. She looked for Nick, but he was nowhere to be found. She slowly walked towards the edge of the roof and noticed a beautiful arch, decorated with lights, as well as daisies, sweet peas, roses and honeysuckles, all in tones of white and yellow; hers and Nick's birth month flowers, she realized. The arch was erected exactly where Nick had proposed to her months ago.

When they had thought about venues for their wedding, both Nick and Adalind had agreed that the perfect place to get married was right here, in the loft. It made perfect sense to pledge their lives to each other, in front of their closest friends and family, in the one place where their love had blossomed. Adalind had planned to decorate the rooftop with just a few flowers here and there, but this breathtaking setup was absolutely perfect.

"Nick?" she called out.

She walked towards the arch, and when she finally reached it, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw Nick walking towards her, a single stemless white rose in his right hand. He joined her, took her left hand in his, and placed it over his chest, right where his heart was. He then gently placed the rose in Adalind's hair and secured it behind her ear. She looked up at him, tears forming in her gorgeous blue eyes. He bent down to kiss her.

"Nick... it's absolutely stunning. When did you find the time to do this?" she asked.

"Well I had a little help from Monroe; we set it all up last night while you were out with Rosalee."

"You're simply amazing" she said, smiling.

"I know we're not getting married until later tonight, but I just wanted to have a little moment with just the two of us."

He pulled her closer to him, until their foreheads were almost touching, and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Adalind, you are the light of my life, my sunrise on the darkest of days. When I came close to losing you, I thought I would never be able to escape from the terrifying darkness that had taken over my heart. But as hard as it was, I never lost faith that you would come back to me and that we would ultimately get our happy ending. And here we are."

"I love you" she said as she lifted her head to kiss him.

"I love you" he replied, wrapping both his arms around her. "More than words could possibly say."

She kissed him again, running her hands through his silky black hair. She loved this man far beyond what she thought imaginable. He had quickly become her world after she gave birth to their son. She hadn't planned to fall in love with him, but she soon realized that she had loved him from the very first moment he had laid eyes on her. She had always been able to perfectly control her emotions to prevent herself from woging in public, but seeing Nick looking at her with such wonder had instantly ignited a fire inside of her; he was the first person to ever make her feel vulnerable. Realizing he was a Grimm had initially startled her. She recalled the stories her mother had told her when she was just a child, about men and women who could see what others couldn't. They were depicted as strong forces to be feared. But Adalind had always wondered what it would be like to meet one someday. She would dream about encountering such a man, often times fantasizing about it. And when she finally did on that fateful day, she felt something she initially mistook for fear. But she now knew it had actually been something else; she had finally found what she had been searching for all her life. She had met her Grimm.

Adalind broke the kiss and looked at Nick with all the love in the world.

"I never told you this, but... I knew from the moment I saw you that you were going to be a huge part of my life" she said. "Obviously I never wanted to admit it to myself at first, but as the years went by, and especially after we had Kelly, I realized that you were the one I'd been searching for. I know we've had our ups and downs, but you truly are the best thing that's ever happened to me. Without you, I have no doubt that I would be a totally different person today. You made me a better woman, and I can't thank you enough for that. And I know neither of us planned to have Kelly when we did, or how we did for that matter... but I truly believe that it was all meant to be."

Nick smiled at her, tears in his eyes. Hearing Adalind say that their first meeting had been as life-changing for her as it had been for him felt special; like everything had come full-circle. He gently cupped her face with his hands and kissed her tenderly.

They suddenly heard a lovely melody in the distance, a violin solo. Adalind looked up at Nick, her eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"As much as I'd like to take credit for the music as well, I can't" Nick said with a smile. "I have no idea where it's coming from."

"Its source doesn't matter" she said. "Let's dance."

They wrapped their arms around each other and slowly moved in unison to the rhythm of the music, their eyes transfixed on one another. They danced for a while, not realizing the sun had finally risen in the sky, eclipsing the dark shadows of the night.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Nick stared at his reflection in the mirror on top of Diana's dresser as he adjusted his tie. He couldn't help but smile; he had to admit, he looked rather handsome as a groom. Probably because he wasn't nervous at all; in fact, he had never been so calm in his life. Today was going to be perfect. He and Adalind were finally going to become husband and wife.

"Daddy?" he heard a tiny voice say behind him.

He turned around and saw Diana standing in the doorway. She looked absolutely precious in her pretty white dress, her hair adorned with tiny little flowers. She slowly walked in and hesitantly approached him.

"You are the prettiest flower girl I have ever seen" Nick told her.

"Thanks" she said, looking down at her dress.

"Are you ok sweetie?" Nick asked when he realized she wasn't smiling.

"Yeah, I'm fine... are you?" she replied.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" he said.

"I just wanted to make sure you were still happy... today's an important day."

"It sure is; it's actually the most important day of our lives. We are officially going to be a family" he said with a smile.

When Diana didn't return his smile, he became concerned with her odd behavior.

"Diana, is something bothering you?" he asked, stroking his little girl's hair.

"I saw mommy crying before."

Nick felt a twinge of pain at the sound of her words. He hadn't seen Adalind since this morning, which was quite an accomplishment considering they were both in the loft. Rosalee had worked her magic to make sure the two didn't cross paths as they got ready for the wedding.

"When was this?" he asked.

"About an hour ago. I don't think she's feeling well... I heard her throw up in the bathroom."

Nick instantly felt relieved; Adalind had started to feel nauseous lately because of her pregnancy. This had nothing to do with wedding jitters.

"Sweetie, I'm sure mommy's fine. She's probably just a little nervous" Nick said, trying to reassure her.

"Why would she be nervous?" she asked.

"She just wants this day to be perfect, we all do. And it will be" he said as he bent down so his eyes were at the same level as Diana's.

"If anything goes wrong, can I can use my powers to fix it?" she asked.

"I don't think that will be necessary..." Nick responded. "Besides, we wouldn't want to scare the guests."

"I guess not..." she said with a little frown.

"Don't worry, everything will go off without a hitch."

"I love you so much daddy" she said as she hugged Nick.

"I love you too sweetie" he said, hugging her tight.

"I hate to break up this little party" they heard Monroe say behind them "but it's almost time."

"Go find Trubel up on the rooftop, she'll get you and Kelly ready for the ceremony" Nick told Diana.

"Ok daddy" she said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and scurried off to the staircase.

"That was sweet" Monroe said with a smile.

"Yeah, she's such a special little girl" Nick replied.

"You cleaned up real nice, man."

"Thanks. Have you seen Adalind?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, I just saw her."

"How was she? Diana said she heard her throw up."

"She seemed ok to me... then again I'm not an expert when it comes to morning, or should I say afternoon sickness... if there is such a thing. When you think about it, morning sickness is a misleading term. The name suggests that it's supposed to occur in the morning, but it seems it can be felt any time of the day, be it morning, afternoon or evening. It's caused by a hormonal imbalance, specifically due to a rapid rise in hCG levels and estrogen during pregnancy. Another interesting fact is that not all pregnant women experience morning sickness, and this also varies from one pregnancy to another."

Nick smiled; Monroe always knew how to lighten up the mood with his constant digressions.

"Sorry" Monroe said when he realized he had done it again.

"Don't worry about it" Nick said, laughing.

"Are you nervous?"

"Not at all... I've been waiting my whole life for this. And I know Adalind feels the same way."

"Between you and me, I think she's the calmest bride I've ever seen."

Nick smiled.

"I can't wait to see her."

* * *

Rosalee had just finished clipping Adalind's hair back with an antique pin she had owned since she was a child.

"And there's your something borrowed" she said, smiling at her friend. "You're all set now."

Adalind admired herself in the mirror; she finally looked like a bride.

"You look beautiful" Rosalee said behind her. "You will without a doubt take Nick's breath away."

"Thank you Rosalee" Adalind said as she turned around. "And not only for the pin and your kind words... for everything. I couldn't have pulled it off without you."

Rosalee smiled and moved forward to give Adalind a hug. The two women had grown so close since Kelly's birth; they truly had become best friends.

"How are you feeling?" Rosalee asked.

"Good... I had a little nausea before. But I feel much better now."

"Do you want anything? I'm sure I have time to make you some tea before the ceremony begins."

"No, I'm ok. I just want to get married!"

"I'm sure Nick is anxious to see you too."

"I still can't believe you managed to keep us from running into each other" Adalind said with a little laugh.

"Yeah well, call me old-fashioned; I still think the groom shouldn't get to see his bride until she walks down the aisle."

Adalind smiled, and then looked down as she felt the tears coming. Rosalee immediately noticed she was upset.

"Adalind, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just feel so fortunate to have such amazing friends. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve any of this... considering who I used to be and the terrible pain I caused all of you."

"Sweetie" Rosalee said as she took Adalind's hands in hers. "That's all in the past. You're a totally different person now. We've all done things in our lives we're not so proud of. What matters is that we realized our mistakes and made up for them. So have you."

"I know, and I have all of you to thank for that. You and Monroe helped me make that suppressant that started it all; and you were simply amazing with me when Kelly was born. And my children... having them changed my entire outlook on life; it made me realize the true meaning of unconditional love. And then there's Nick" she whispered as the emotion got the best of her. "He had every reason to despise me after all the horrible things I did to hurt him. He could have chosen to kill me for what I did to Juliette... but he didn't. I can still remember how protective he immediately became of me once he found out I was pregnant with his child. I didn't deserve any of it... I mean, I took away his life with Juliette, I turned his entire world upside-down. But there he was, protecting me and our son, like we were the only two people who mattered to him."

"That's because you were" Rosalee interrupted. "Monroe and I saw the immediate change in him too. Sure, it was strange at first, but it quickly became apparent to us that Nick had finally found something, or rather someone, to lean on. Adalind, I know you're grateful that Nick was there for you, but the truth is, you were there for him as well; he depended on you and Kelly to get him through the darkest period of his life. And I know what you're going to say; that he was going through it because of what you did. But... I honestly believe that Nick and Juliette had issues going far beyond your involvement in their relationship. There was always something missing. Something he eventually found in you."

"You're gonna make me cry" Adalind said.

"I'm sorry" Rosalee replied, squeezing her friend's hands. "I just thought you needed to know. Nick isn't with you by default; he's marrying you today because you are the one true love of his life. Monroe and I both saw the hell Nick went through a few weeks ago when he thought he was going to lose you; we had never seen him so desperate... not even remotely close."

"I know Nick loves me" Adalind said. "He makes sure to tell me every day. I just can't help but feel like I took him away from..."

"You didn't" Rosalee interrupted. "Believe me, your Grimm and Hexenbiest love story was written in the stars."

"You're right" Adalind said, laughing. "Ok, no more tears today, I promise!"

"Well I don't know about that" Rosalee chuckled. "Just make sure the next ones are tears of joy."

When she heard the cello melody coming from the rooftop, Rosalee looked down at her watch.

"It's time... are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Adalind took her bouquet of flowers in one hand and Rosalee's hand in the other, and together they made their way to the staircase leading up to the rooftop, where everyone, Nick especially, was anxiously waiting for the bride.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Outside, night had fallen. The twinkling of the stars in the sky, the flashing city lights beyond and the strings of lights scattered across the rooftop created a magical ambiance.

Nick was standing under the floral arch, impatiently waiting for Adalind to make her entrance. His best man Monroe was by his side, as well as Hank, who had agreed to officiate the wedding ceremony. On each side of the aisle were chairs for the few guests they had invited. They had chosen to keep the event mostly private, inviting only their closest friends and family, which, aside from the bridal party, notably included Wu, as well as Bud and his wife. Renard was also there, mainly because he was Diana's biological father. Despite being on better terms with his captain, Nick had hesitated at first. However, he didn't want to disappoint his little girl, so he had ultimately agreed to invite him.

"Are you ready to get things started?" Monroe asked Nick.

"Yeah, I've never been more ready in my life" Nick responded with a smile.

Monroe nodded and sat down on the chair behind him. He then grabbed the cello resting next to him and started to play.

At the sound of the melody, Trubel, who was standing close to the door leading up to the roof, took it as her cue to get the wedding processional started.

"Ok kids, let's get your mommy and daddy married!" she said. "Diana, I'll walk down the aisle first, then you can walk out with Kelly, ok?"

"Sounds great!" Diana replied with a huge smile on her face.

"Great, I'll see you by the arch."

Trubel made her way down the aisle, smiling at the guests as she passed by them. As she moved closer to the altar, she noticed Nick was smiling back at her. He had never looked happier, she realized, which made her happy too. When she reached his side, she affectionately touched his arm and then moved to his left.

"Ok Kelly, it's our turn!" Diana said as she held her little brother's hand. "Let's go see daddy!"

With the help of his big sister, Kelly slowly toddled down the aisle. At the sight of his children walking hand in hand towards him, an immense feeling of pride came over Nick. When they finally reached the arch, Nick bent down to hug them and gently kissed their forehead.

"Good luck daddy" Diana whispered.

"Thank you sweetie" Nick replied as he stroked her hair.

Trubel inched closer and took both Diana and Kelly by their hands so she could hold them by her side.

The door at the other end of the roof then opened as Rosalee came out, holding a bouquet of flowers with one hand and her massive belly with the other. Monroe looked up from his cello as he saw his beautiful wife walk down the aisle. He smiled at her, remembering their own wedding.

When Rosalee reached the altar and moved to the side, Nick's heart started beating a little faster. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for had come at last. As Monroe switched to a different melody, all the guests stood up and turned their attention to the other end of the roof. When the door finally opened, Nick watched Adalind step out. As soon as they saw each other, everyone else around them became a complete blur; they only had eyes for one another.

Adalind stood still for a moment, smiling at Nick. He looked so handsome in his charcoal grey suit, which made his gorgeous blue eyes stand out. He was smiling back at her, his love for her clearly reflected on his face. She slowly started to walk towards him.

Nick was unable to take his eyes off of her. Adalind was absolutely breathtaking in her lace sheath dress, adorned with delicate cap sleeves and a beaded belt. She looked like an ethereal goddess, exuding the purest beauty and grace. Every step she took, moving closer towards him, made his heart flutter. He calmly waited until she reached his side. As she joined him under the arch, he took her free hand in his and pulled her closer to him. They gazed at each other, still unaware of the others around them, until the music finally stopped.

Monroe put the cello aside and got up to take his place next to Nick. Rosalee took Adalind's bouquet from her and rejoined Trubel and the children. Nick then took Adalind's other hand and smiled at her. He instinctively bent down to kiss her, but Adalind leaned back slightly to prevent his lips from touching hers.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. "You're not supposed to kiss me until the end of the ceremony."

"Sorry" Nick replied. "You look so beautiful, I couldn't resist."

Despite them keeping a low tone of voice, everyone had heard their private exchange and had all started laughing. Nick and Adalind turned to face their guests, both of them smiling. Nick then turned around to look at Hank and nodded to let him know he could proceed with the ceremony.

"Dear friends and family, we are gathered here tonight to witness the union of Nick and Adalind. It is my utmost honor to have the privilege to officiate their wedding ceremony. As you are all aware, Nick and Adalind have fought through countless battles to get to this day. The devotion they have for one another and the unbreakable bond they share is truly unique and remarkable. It is clear to anyone around them that these two are the pure representation of true love. I can still remember the day these two met. It was obvious from the very first moment that Nick felt a connection to Adalind. It was like everything else around him had ceased to exist except for her. We all know it took a few years for them to finally find their way to each other, but of this I am absolutely sure: Nick and Adalind were destined to be together."

All of the guests smiled, as though they were all in agreement with what Hank had just said.

"I will now let the two of them exchange the vows that they have prepared for one another" Hank said as he took a step back.

Nick took a deep breath, looked at Adalind and began to speak.

"Adalind, there aren't enough words to describe just how much you mean to me. But if I had to choose just one, it would undoubtedly be 'everything'. I can't possibly imagine what my life would be like had I not met you. I have become who I am today because of who you are; I am a caring and devoted father because you are the mother of my children. I am a faithful and committed lover because you are my soulmate."

Adalind's eyes sparkled as they started to fill with tears; but the smile on her lips let Nick know they were most definitely tears of happiness. He gently squeezed her hands and smiled at her before he continued.

"Our journey hasn't been the easiest, but I wouldn't change a single thing because you and our children gave my existence its entire meaning. Adalind, you are my life; your breath feeds oxygen into my lungs, your heart pumps blood into my veins. You are my beginning and my end, and everything else in between. I love you today, tomorrow and forever."

Nick momentarily let go of Adalind's left hand to wipe away the tears that had rolled down her beautiful face. He gently caressed her cheek as he did so. He then took her hand in his again as she cleared her throat to speak.

"Nick, falling in love with you was as natural as taking a breath. I truly believe that all the decisions I've made in my life have led me to you. Every single choice, the good and the bad ones, including all the mistakes and regrets from my past, they were all worth it because if I had done even just one thing differently, I might never have met you. You taught me the true meaning of love, you showed me that there is always a glimmer of hope, even when you are surrounded by nothing but darkness."

Adalind's voice started to shake from the emotion, so she took a deep breath before she was able to continue.

"You are my rock, my source of strength. I wake up every morning feeling so grateful to have found my other half, my missing piece. Your hand fits so perfectly around mine, like our fingers were made to be intertwined. You catch me when I am about to fall, you make me smile when I have no reason to. You complete me in every single way, you are my one and only. I love you today, tomorrow and always."

Adalind's vows had brought tears to Nick's eyes, but a smile to his lips. Hank stepped forward to join them.

"Nick and Adalind will now exchange rings. May these rings, which have no beginning and no end, forever remind them of their infinite commitment to one another. These rings contain in their precious metal something far more priceless: hope and a promise for the future. But most of all, they are a symbol of their eternal love."

Nick reluctantly let go of Adalind's hand as Monroe moved closer to hand him a delicate band adorned with sparkly little diamonds. He then turned back to face the love of his life, took her left hand and looked deeply into her bright blue eyes.

"I, Nicholas Burkhardt, take you Adalind Schade to be my wife. I promise to cherish and protect you for as long as I shall live. I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst. As I am giving you my heart to be your shelter, I am also giving you my arms to be your home. With this ring, I promise to be with you for all eternity, til death do us part."

Nick carefully slid the wedding ring on Adalind's finger, silently mouthing the words 'I love you' as he did so. Adalind smiled at him and squeezed his hands. She then turned around as Rosalee gave her Nick's wedding band. She moved her attention back to Nick and began to speak.

"I, Adalind Schade, take you Nicholas Burkhardt to be my husband, my best friend and my one true love. I promise to stay true to you and to forever remain by your side, through good times and bad. As I am giving you my hand to hold, I am also giving you my life to keep. With this ring, I promise to love you with all of my heart and soul, til death do us part."

She slid the ring on Nick's finger and looked up at him, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks.

"By the power vested in me by the State of Oregon, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Nick, I know you've been impatiently waiting for this moment; you may now kiss your bride."

All the guests burst into laughter and started clapping as Nick took Adalind in his arms and kissed her, forgetting everyone else around them. Adalind was finally his wife and he was her husband; their hearts were now forever united, a bond that nothing and no one could ever break.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"Kelly, look how happy mommy and daddy are" Diana told her little brother as she watched them dance.

Her parents were locked in an embrace, slowly moving to the sound of the music. They were clearly oblivious of the guests, their eyes transfixed solely on each other. Diana smiled as she saw Nick bend down to kiss her mommy. They were finally a family; a real one. And nothing would ever break them apart.

"Hey pumpkin" Trubel said behind her. "Do you want something to eat?"

"No, thank you" she responded, still staring at her parents.

"So how does it feel to see your mommy and Nick finally married?"

"It's the greatest feeling in the world. I've never seen mommy so happy… daddy too."

Trubel smiled as she heard Diana refer to Nick as her father. It was obvious the two of them had grown incredibly close in the last few months. And she knew Nick considered Diana like his own flesh and blood, even though she wasn't biologically his.

"You know" Diana said, "Nick is the love of mommy's life… for a while I wanted my real daddy to be that for her. But Nick makes her happy. He's everything to her."

"That's so sweet" Trubel said, bending down to Diana's height. "But you know what? Your mommy is everything to Nick too, you and Kelly included."

"I know" Diana said with a smile as she turned around. "He loves us all so much. And we love him right back" she said, taking Trubel's hand.

As the song came to a close, Nick clinked on a glass with a spoon to get the guests' attention.

"Adalind and I would like to thank each and every one of you for joining us tonight. Your presence truly means the world to us. We feel so incredibly lucky to have you in our lives; you each hold a special place in our hearts, and you are all a part of our family… which will soon grow."

"What?" Diana said, letting go of Trubel's hand. "Does this mean… mommy, are you having another baby?"

"Well, actually… two. We're having twins!" Adalind announced as Nick gently laid his hand on her stomach.

"Oh, I'm going to be a big sister again! I'm so happy!" Diana squealed as she ran into her mother's arms.

"I'm actually surprised you didn't figure it out sooner, like you did with Rosalee" Adalind told her daughter as she caressed her hair.

"I haven't been able to read you since you came back from the hospital" Diana responded.

Nick looked at Adalind. Something had definitely changed in her. He was convinced their unborn children were the reason why Diana hadn't been able to discover Adalind was pregnant; they were clearly protecting her from outside forces, even if one of them happened to be their sister. He found great comfort in knowing they were keeping her safe.

"And now, I'd like to say something to my beautiful bride" he said, taking Adalind's hand in his. "I can't even begin to find the right words to express just how happy I am to finally be able to call you my wife. But you are so much more than that; you are my best friend, my soulmate. Every morning, when I wake up and look at you, I fall in love with you all over again."

Adalind smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"You and I have shared a special connection from the very first day we met. That bond has deepened over the years, and it will only continue to grow. I vow to protect you and keep you safe for the rest of our lives. And I promise to make sure you always remain as happy as you are today. I love you."

Nick pulled Adalind into his arms and kissed her as the guests started to clap.

"Now as much as Adalind and I would love to stay here and celebrate with you all night, we have somewhere we need to be" Nick said.

"We do?" Adalind asked, surprised by the announcement.

"Yes love" he responded. "Are you ready for the rest of our lives to begin Mrs. Burkhardt?"

Adalind smiled at her husband as he took her hand to lead her back down to the loft.

* * *

While Adalind took off her wedding dress and slipped into something more comfortable, Nick filled a suitcase with all the necessary items they would need for a few days' getaway. He was excited to take his wife to the surprise location he had chosen for their honeymoon. They had decided to forgo the trip to the Caribbean they had planned before they found out Adalind was expecting; they had both agreed their unborn children were far too precious to risk anything happening to them, especially at this early stage of the pregnancy.

"Are you ready to go?" Nick asked Adalind once he was done packing and had changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Yes... can we just say goodbye to Kelly and Diana before we head out?" she asked.

"Of course, I'll go get them" he responded.

"Wait, Nick?" she said, grabbing his arm.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to thank you for marrying me tonight and making me the happiest woman in the world" she said, pulling him closer.

Nick smiled at her as he took her in his arms.

"Today was just perfect" she continued.

"Today is not over yet" he whispered, kissing her softly.

* * *

They had driven less than an hour when they reached a small road surrounded by rows of trees on either side. They were in the suburbs of Portland, away from the noise of the city.

"We're almost there" Nick announced, taking Adalind's hand.

He turned right at the following intersection and Adalind noticed the trees had disappeared, giving way to blocks of gorgeous homes on one side, and a magnificent lake on the other. After a moment, Nick turned into one of the driveways. Adalind looked at him with a puzzled look. He shut down the engine and turned to face her. He smiled when he saw the confusion in her eyes.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"I know this isn't a five-star hotel, but I really think you'll love it" Nick answered as he took her hand in his.

"Nick, I don't care where we are, just as long as I'm with you" she responded, leaning in to kiss him.

They got out of the car and Nick removed their luggage from the trunk. Hand in hand, they walked along the path leading to the front of the house. When they reached the door, Nick took keys out of his pocket. He unlocked and opened the door, and put the suitcase inside. He then turned back to Adalind and took her in his arms, lifting her up to carry her inside.

"Really?" Adalind chuckled as she wrapped her hands behind his neck. "You don't need to drag me anywhere… I will follow you wherever you go."

"I know, but who am I to go against tradition?" he asked.

"Well, technically a groom carries his bride over the threshold into their new home" she replied.

Nick just looked at her and smiled. Still holding her in his arms, he kicked the door closed and began to make his way up the stairs and into the master bedroom. When he reached the foot of the bed he put her down and cupped her face in his hands.

"I love you Adalind" he whispered. "I've never felt this happy and complete. And it's all because of you and our children."

"Nick… I have to pinch myself to make sure this isn't all a dream…"

"It isn't… this is it. For the rest of our lives."

"That's all I ever wanted. I love you."

Nick bent down to kiss his wife and gently wrapped his arms around her. They had kissed countless times before, but somehow this felt like the very first time. As he kissed her, flashes of meaningful moments they shared in the past played back in his mind. He felt the same butterflies that had fluttered in his stomach when she had taken a chance and kissed him at the table in their loft. He sensed the same warm feeling that had risen within him when Adalind had confessed how she felt about him right before they made love for the real first time. He felt the same wonderful adrenaline rush that had pushed him to run into her arms when they had reunited after being apart for what seemed like an eternity. He was hit by the same realization that had come over him as he held her in his arms that night she had returned home with Kelly: that he had fallen in love with her and that all he wanted was to spend the rest of his life with her. He remembered the incredible sense of relief he had felt at the sight of her beautiful face upon his return from the other place, where he thought his universe had ended with her death. He recalled the joy in Adalind's eyes at the sound of his words when he finally told her he loved her, when he proposed to her under the stars. And then, he felt the soft touch of her fingers gently caressing his hair when she came out of her coma, the warmth and sweet taste of her lips as he kissed her, swearing to himself that he would never let anything hurt her again, that he would forever keep her safe.

Nick carefully lifted Adalind and laid her down on the bed. She opened her eyes for a moment, gazing into his, and in them he saw their entire future, the new memories they were about to create together.

"Adalind…" he whispered. "My love for you will live forever, even after my heart stops beating."

She smiled at him, tears forming in her gorgeous blue eyes. She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair, all the while staring at him.

"And I will love you until the sun burns out and the oceans run dry" she said.

Nick smiled back at her and bent down to kiss her. He unbuttoned her shirt, revealing her sexy lingerie underneath. He gently kissed and caressed her skin, running his hands down her flesh as he removed her clothes. He took his time, making sure he covered every single curve of her perfect body with his hands and mouth. He could not get enough of her, his entire body craved her, and he knew she relished every moment just as much; her breathing, tickling his hair, was mixed with soft moans. She whispered his name, her body arching in pleasure under his touch. He gently unhooked her bra, kissing her breasts as he did so. Finally, he removed her lace panties and felt her body shiver underneath him. She opened her eyes and lustfully gazed at him. She slid her hands under his t-shirt and ran her fingers across his toned abs as she took it off. He leaned in to kiss her again, his tongue exploring the inside of her mouth, licking her soft lips. He felt Adalind's hands unzipping his pants and take them off along with his boxer shorts. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tightened her arms around his back as she pulled him down.

They made love over and over again, their bodies fitting so perfectly into one another, as they had always been destined to. Adalind eventually fell asleep in Nick's arms as he lovingly gazed at her. As he watched her sleep, tears started to form in his eyes. He thought about how close he had come to losing her and how it had brought him near the edge of despair. She was his entire life; she always had been, from the very first moment he had laid eyes on her. He could still recall the smile that had lightened up her beautiful face, the twinkle that had made her gorgeous blue eyes sparkle brighter than the shiniest star.

"I should have followed you..." he whispered, gently caressing her cheek.

Not chasing after her that day to find out everything he possibly could about the woman who had changed his life in an instant was the greatest regret of his life. But he found comfort in knowing that destiny had worked its magic to bring them back together, despite their conflicting natures. That their son Kelly, who admittedly had not been created out of love, or at least not in the true sense of the word, somehow still symbolized all of that and so much more, just as much as their unborn children did. And that as much as Adalind had changed in the years he'd known her, one thing had remained the same, and always would: she was his one true love, his everything.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

When Nick opened his eyes the next day, the sunrays streaming through the window made it hard for him to see anything else. Once he got used to the blinding light, he turned to his side; the bed was empty. He ran his fingers on the sheets next to him; he could still feel the warmth left there by Adalind's body. He got up and put on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He walked out of the bedroom and went downstairs. First he went into the kitchen, and then into the living room, but there was no sign of Adalind. He looked out the window and finally saw his wife; she was sitting on one of the chairs on the porch, wrapped up in a wool blanket. She looked gorgeous as always, her wavy blond hair dancing in the chilly morning breeze. He opened the door and walked out to join her.

"Hey, I thought I'd let you sleep in" she said as soon as she saw him.

"How are you feeling?" Nick asked as he planted a light kiss on her forehead before sitting down on the chair next to hers.

"Good... better."

"Again?"

"Yeah... I think our little Grimms are having fun at my expense" she said with a chuckle.

"I'm sure it'll get better soon" Nick responded as he tenderly rubbed her burgeoning belly.

"Hopefully, I can't keep anything down lately."

"You want me to make you some herbal tea?"

"No, it's ok. I had some earlier."

Nick took Adalind's hand in his and squeezed it gently. She looked up at him with her sparkly blue eyes. She always managed to make his heart skip a beat every time she looked at him.

"I love you" he said.

"I love you too" she responded.

Nick pulled her hand, forcing her to get up from her chair. He sat her down on his knees and wrapped his arms around her. The heat emanating from his body warmed Adalind up instantly. She cuddled up against her husband and lovingly gazed up at him.

"Has anyone ever told you just how amazing you are?" she whispered.

"Yeah... you" he replied as he leaned in to kiss her.

They remained in each other's arms, their foreheads pressed together.

"This house is absolutely beautiful" Adalind said after a moment.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Yeah, the view is breathtaking" she said, admiring the lake that sparkled underneath the morning sun. "And the house is so spacious, not to mention the numerous bedrooms. The family that lives here is really lucky."

"They sure are" Nick replied, a smile spreading across his lips.

"How did you find this place anyway?"

"In the 'properties for sale' section of the newspaper."

Adalind's eyes widened as she started to realize the real reason why Nick had brought her here.

"Welcome home Mrs. Burkhardt" Nick said, tightening his arms around her.

"Are you serious? This house is ours?"

"Well, I figured the loft would get a little tight when these two little miracles are born" he said, caressing her stomach. "So when I saw this place in the newspaper last week, I immediately called the owner to come by for a visit. I knew right away that you'd love it."

"I do! It's perfect!" she said, taking his face with both her hands and kissing him repeatedly on the lips.

"There's something else I want to show you" Nick said as he lifted her up and took her hand. "Come with me."

He led her to the backyard, where Adalind saw a huge swing set with four separate seats; a regular one for Diana and three smaller ones with safety belts for Kelly and the twins.

"Oh, Nick..." she said turning around to face him. "They're going to love it."

"That's not all..." Nick said as he nodded his head towards the right side of the backyard.

Adalind turned around and spotted a treehouse. She walked towards it and noticed there was an inscription carved on the trunk: 'The Burkhardt Family – Established October 28, 2011'. She turned back to Nick, who was standing behind her, and looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.

"I know we got married yesterday," he said "but our life together started on the very first day we met. Sometimes I think about that day and I wish I had followed you instead of letting you walk away. I know that fate ultimately brought us together anyway, but I should've listened to my heart..."

Nick wrapped his arms around Adalind and pulled her close to him.

"I feel like we wasted too many years apart when we should have been together from the start. But I want you to know, I want our children to know, that our story started back on that day. And that the best is yet to come."

"Nick, I can't believe you did all of this for us" Adalind said, tears in her eyes. "You are simply the most amazing man I have ever known. I love you more than life itself."

"I love you too, you and the kids. I'm the luckiest man in the world."

"We are the lucky ones, to have you love us so unconditionally. You sacrificed your life more than once to make sure we got here. We owe our lives to you."

"That's not how I see it" Nick said, cupping Adalind's face with one hand. "I am here because of you; you gave my life its entire meaning and I owe you everything I have. You and our children are my reason to live. And I'm going to dedicate my life to make sure that you all have everything you could possibly dream of."

"We already do" Adalind said, wrapping her arms around Nick's neck and lifting her head to kiss him.

Nick tightened his arms around his wife, not wanting to let her go. As he held her, kissing her, an overwhelming sense of completeness came over him. But he didn't see it as the perfect ending to their story; he rather considered it as the beginning of a lifelong journey that had always been written in the stars and that would lead them, every day, for the rest of their lives, to their very own happily ever after.

THE END

(I hope you enjoyed reading this story just as much as I did writing it. Thank you all for your great feedback, it means so much to know that you liked it. I'm already working on a new Nadalind fanfic called 'Listen To Your Heart', so stay tuned!)


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